For Me, There is Only You
by Bobapearl
Summary: Sequel to Immune: Now that their lives have officially begun, Kyoko and Ren can slowly begin to experience the wondrous thrill of marriage together. But what kind of marriage would it be without the occasional speed-bumps along the way?
1. Chapter 1: To Begin Anew

Hi everyone! So, to be honest, I had no plans to write a sequel to **Immune**. I sincerely thought I was going to leave the story as it was. But just a little after finishing it, I kept coming up with new ideas on how I would continue the story if I did. Finally, after playing around with my thoughts a little bit, I decided to go further. Although, I should warn you all that this is still in the works, but I hope I can keep the personalities of the characters the same. So thank you so much for clicking on the link and I hope you enjoy this story as much as the first! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>With her back bent and gasping lungs, the young actress lugged the large box down the carpeted hall. She looked like she was desperately trying to move a thousand pound bolder. And after every three tugs, she would stop and pant, feeling as if her arms were going to fall straight off. But once she saw the pale door in sight, she narrowed her eyes determinedly and continued on her strenuous trek. The box weighed at least half of her weight so holding it within her arms was definitely not an option. Pulling was the only way to get the job done.<p>

As soon as she reached the front door, she gratefully straightened her tired posture and reached for the silver key in the pocket of her white shorts. Turning the familiar door knob, she swung the door open and was greeted with a wave of nostalgia as she stared at the scene before her. Nothing had changed. The black couch, the wooden coffee table, the flat screen television set, they were all there.

Smiling, she continued to pull the heavy box through the front entry way and stopped right behind the sofa. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and pulled back the clear masking tape. She reached her hand within the box and retrieved some of the contents inside: a case of cosmetics, a couple of books on acting, a miniature piggy bank, and finally a Darumaya doll.

She laughed reminiscently as she held the large, rounded figure with both hands. Nimbly running her fingers over the black eye, she couldn't believe that it was nearly five years ago since she drew it in. Although many people have told her it was time to draw in the other eye, she truly believed that she hadn't accomplished her goal just yet. To a motivated actress like her, there was still a long way to go.

But as she stared at the red doll, she couldn't help but have this longing feeling to be back at the restaurant with the landlord and his wife. Without their help, she would have never gotten close to her dream, let alone achieve it. They supported her through every trial that life threw at her and it was because of their generosity that made her miss them even more. She really felt as if she had left them behind.

And just as her eyes began to water, she suddenly heard quiet footsteps thudding from down the hall. She raised her head to the doorway and saw a giant box emerge with long legs, gingerly trying to make its way through the tiny door. She giggled at the sight of it and quickly got to her feet.

"I thought we were going to leave that one for the very end," she said as she ran towards the door and gripped the box from the bottom.

"Well, I figured since I was already down there, I might as well give it a try," a male voice answered with a tiny chuckle. "Besides, it's not too heavy."

Carefully walking backwards into the room, she teased with a raised eyebrow, "Oh really? Then why are your arms trembling?"

"That's the sign of my muscles hard at work, darling," he said as he twisted his head around the edge and flashed a brilliant smile in her direction.

Her heart jumped at the sight of his face. Even after all this time, she still wasn't used to it. If anything, she reacted even more to his charming antics.

As soon as the box hit the floor and she was able to look at him more closely, her body naturally began to heat up as she drowned into his deep, warm eyes. He was just too irresistible. And right on cue, she instinctively jumped over the large box in eagerness and leapt into his already outstretched arms, linking her hands behind his back. She snuggled her face into his shoulder as she felt him press a kiss at the nape of her neck, her heartbeat quickly increasing in speed.

"I love you," she murmured naturally against his skin.

He smiled and whispered in a tender voice, "I love you too."

She giggled in response, holding onto him even tighter.

"And just to prove how much I love you," he casually added as he leaned back to look at her flushed face, "I got you a little something."

"And what would that be?"

His smile lit up like stars as he knelt down upon his knees. Pulling the box flaps open, he reached down and brought out another white package. It was about the size of a small book. She took the gift with curious eyes and looked up at him with confusion.

"When did you get this?" she asked in a soft voice.

"A little while ago," he said with twinkling eyes. "I thought it would be a good surprise."

Really curious by now, she swiftly opened the gift and pulled out what felt to be a picture frame. She turned the silver casing over and gasped. It was their wedding picture!

The silver-crystallized frame held a photo of a happy groom and bride, whose faces were angled towards each other with a smile that shone with love and warmth. But while the bride directly looked at the camera, the blue-eyed groom kept his eyes on her glowing face, smiling as if he was the luckiest man in the world.

And neatly scrawled underneath in silver cursive were the words:

_Hizuri Kuon and Kyoko_

_Our Fairytale Come True_

Kyoko could feel the tears at the corner of her eyes. They were threatening to spill over, but she didn't care. This was one of the best gifts she had ever received. It just proved to her all over again that this wasn't a dream. That everything that had happened to her these past couple of years was indeed true. Her happiness, her excitement, and her positive change were all real.

"Do you like it?" Ren whispered as he reached for her again.

"I love it. I absolutely love it," she murmured tearfully. "Thank you, Ren."

"You're welcome. I think it'll be a great addition to our home, don't you think?"

Kyoko laughed. "It sure is. And I know just where to put it."

Bouncing her way around the couch, she made her way towards mantle above the fireplace and propped the silver frame upon the wooden shelf. Kyoko took a step back and glanced over her shoulder. "What do you think?"

"Perfect," he said with a bright smile. "But I think you should put this too."

Then bending down, Ren grasped the large Darumaya doll and gave it a little shake. "It deserves a special place as well."

Kyoko smiled. This was why she loved Ren so much. Not only was he considerate, but he always made sure that she was comfortable. Ever since they decided to move in together into his condo, Ren was careful to take everything slow. Giving her as much time as she needed, he patiently let her move in at her pace and never once complained. And the fact that he understood her feelings of being slightly home-sick only showed just how much Ren paid careful attention to exactly what she wanted.

Taking the large, round doll from his hands, Kyoko happily placed it besides the frame and realized to her delight how much she loved the mantle. It was now her favorite part of the apartment.

"Good?" Kyoko asked.

Ren smiled widely, replying, "It's great."

"So now that we're all done decorating," she said with a giggle, "we should finishing unpacking the rest, right?"

Ren chuckled and nodded. "Whatever you say, Kyoko dear."

Then with one playful kiss upon her lips, he gracefully walked out of the room to grab more boxes from the moving truck downstairs. Kyoko swiftly got to work opening the few cartons that were already in the living room and saw to her great surprise that from within the large box Ren had carried up, it contained one of her most prized possessions.

Carefully taking off the plastic wrapping, Kyoko unfolded her white bridal gown. It was a trumpet style dress that accentuated her every curve, but flared like a blossom at her hips. Embroidered and beaded with crystals, the wedding dress was probably the most extravagant gift she had ever received. But the one thing that made this gown so wonderfully special was the fact that this was a personal present from her mother-in-law.

Remembering the look on Julie's face when she first tried it on, Kyoko could feel this new surge of joy swell within her heart. Hizuri Julie was exactly what she pictured when it came to a fairy tale Queen. She was undeniably beautiful with long golden locks and shimmering green eyes. Her skin was as fair as snow and her smile was absolutely magical.

Yet not only was she beautiful, but her personality was also truly amazing. The minute Julie laid eyes on Kyoko, she kindly embraced her as a daughter—as if they had both known each other from the very beginning. In fact, it didn't take much effort at all for Julie to recognize her not as an in-law, but rather as a true, blood relative. When Kyoko had stepped off the airplane, walking arm in arm with her long-awaited son Kuon, Julie cried like no other. But from the looks of her genuine smile, it was clear that they were tears of joy.

The next three weeks after that heart-wrenching reunion were amazing. Shopping, grabbing lunch, preparing dinner, Julie was the kind of mother Kyoko could only ever dream of having. She had never felt more like part of a family.

It was obvious that Julie loved Kyoko from the start. And it wasn't long before she started reminding Kyoko to call her Mom instead of Hizuri-san which had always elicited a disapproving frown from her lips. And just after a few, embarrassed tries, calling her Mom suddenly became as natural as breathing and Kyoko couldn't have been happier.

Ren surprisingly fell back into his role as Hizuri Kuon almost effortlessly. It was an understatement to say that his parents were overjoyed to see him. In fact, Kyoko couldn't recall a single moment when they weren't smiling or showering him with affection at every chance they got. Of course, no one could match the antics of Kuu who beamed like an insanely proud father, as if he just watched his son win the Nobel Prize.

Kuu and Ren were definitely great together, but sometimes Kyoko couldn't help and wonder if the roles were somehow switched. While Ren portrayed his usual sense of maturity around his parents, Kuu was as comical as ever, cracking jokes and playing mini-pranks upon his dutiful son. It was more than clear that he was grateful to have his family back together once more.

Of course, Kyoko's intense happiness of seeing Kuu again could never be explained in words. She never realized just how much she missed him until he warmly embraced her at the airport. He hadn't changed in the slightest. In fact, when Ren and Kuu stood alongside each other, Kyoko realized that Ren truly did get most of his looks from his father, but his personality was very much like his mother—determined, strong, and very adamant.

So adamant that Julie refused to allow any second-rate band, catering, dresses, music, or just about anything for Kyoko and Ren's special wedding. From the ballroom down to the quilted napkins, she took care of every little detail and made sure that they were of the highest quality. And to Kyoko's utmost horror, Julie didn't let her pay a penny for the wedding.

Whenever the bride would bring up the matter of money, she would just give her daughter a quick pinch on the cheek and say, "Leave it to Mom."

Thus, Kyoko appreciatively ran errands with Julie as they booked caterers and bands, picked out a glorious wedding cake, and decorated the massive hall Kuu had rented out for the reception. And to Kyoko's surprise, she never knew just how much planning it took for a wedding and was more than grateful that she had Julie's help. Without her, nothing would have gone as smoothly as it did.

The day of the wedding was absolutely perfect. There wasn't a single cloud in the bright blue sky and the slight breeze from off the coast kept the temperature just right. The ceremony was held near a wine vineyard with no more than 100 guests. Of course, they were all very close families and friends who knew about the very _special _circumstance of Ren in order to minimize any outright confusion when it came to how he looked.

Kuu even hired ultra-tight security to make sure nothing was leaked to the tabloids. A fly couldn't even get past through the doors thanks to his intense willpower to make this the best day of his son's and daughter's life, without all the paparazzi drama. The hotel was even closed down for the entire day, to keep out any possible crashers or suspicious guests during the reception. The wedding was as exclusive as it could possibly be.

And to keep up with the exclusive theme, even the people who participated in the wedding itself were either friends or close associates of the family. President Lory gladly took up the role as Officiant for the ceremony, Director Ogata and his crew filmed the entire day, Jelly did all the make-up for the ladies, and Taisho helped out with the food. Kotonami Kanae and Takarada Maria were Kyoko's bridesmaids, all dressed in tea-green strapless dresses, and Yashiro Yukihito was Ren's best man.

Everything was planned to the T and when the special day arrived, all that was left was for everyone to have fun. The morning ceremony was truly mesmerizing. Standing beneath a shimmering canopy, Ren, who was dressed in white, watched in absolute awe as Kyoko elegantly made her way down the rose-petal aisle, with her bridesmaids in front and Taisho and the landlady on either side.

President Lory, who took the liberty to order his own lavish, Minister-like robes, couldn't stop the tears from streaming down his face as he emotionally recited the special words that bonded Ren and Kyoko in holy matrimony. And after a sweet and loving kiss, the guests applauded loudly in sincere joy for the new couple. Once the formal ceremony was over, they all made their way towards the grand reception hall, filled with crystals, flowers, and candles that lit up the spacious room.

The food was incredible, the music was lively, and the atmosphere was contagious. Kyoko and Ren smiled non-stop as they greeted every guest, making sure to express their heartfelt gratitude that they all came. During the reception, there were countless of memorable moments. The first father-daughter dance between Kyoko and Kuu was definitely a crowd favorite since the beat switched from a slow, traditional ballad to a perky song mid-way that had the whole room cheering with laughter as the two comically tore up the dance floor.

Then of course, there were the unforgettable toasts from Director Ogata, President Lory (who brought along his own circus of performers), and Sawara Takenori as they all voiced their best wishes for the new love-birds. Kanae, to everyone's pleasant alarm, caught Kyoko's bouquet that was littered with glistening gems while a very red-faced Yashiro was able to snatch her silk garter that soared through the air.

Maria performed her own self-composed song that had everyone singing along with her and President Lory's assistant, Sebastian, had even prepared a VERY detailed slide-show of the romance between Ren and Kyoko, who both hadn't a clue as to how he came to get such intimate pictures in the first place.

But just like every day, the joyous occasion eventually came to an end as the guests made their way home, warmly bidding farewell to the happily married couple and making earnest wishes that their futures will be as bright as their love. So after a whole month of non-stop planning (and sometimes stress), Kyoko and Ren tiredly returned home and prepared for their three-week long honeymoon in Cancun.

Following another tearful good-bye and a promise to visit soon, Kyoko and Ren, who was no longer a blond, boarded a plane to fly off to a secret vacation with absolutely no distractions. Cancun was utterly breathtaking. Their hotel was beautiful, the food was great, and the night-life was crazy. And with three weeks all to themselves, Kyoko and Ren took their time enjoying each other's company as they went off on exciting dates and explored new levels of their relationship. It was certainly a honeymoon to remember.

But now evenly tanned and eagerly ready to get back to work, Kyoko reminscently draped her beautiful gown over the couch and made her way downstairs to help her husband with the boxes. Of course, moving into his condo was taking a lot longer than they thought. It really felt as if they were changing houses.

Once everything was placed inside the apartment, the task of unpacking wasn't any easier. They tried to find a place for everything, but the condo was too small to house both of their belongings, so eventually it was decided that there were some things that just had to go up in the attic.

And after six more hours of opening boxes and dusting down the place, Kyoko was now officially moved in.

"Done," she huffed warily as she fell back against the couch seats. "We're finally done."

Ren leaned over the headrest and smiled down at his tired wife, whose arm was stretched above her head. She smiled up at him and said, "Thank you for the help."

"Anytime, sweetie."

She laughed. "And now there's just one last thing to take care of," Kyoko said as she brushed fingertips against her silky wedding gown. "We definitely can't forget about this."

"Well, I prepared a special place for it in the closet and everything," Ren answered. "I promised Mother I wouldn't get a single speck of dust on the dress."

Kyoko giggled and sat up. "I'll go hang it up then."

But just as she was about to get to her feet, Ren suddenly grasped her hand and said, "Not yet. I have another surprise for you."

"Another one?" Kyoko asked incredulously. "How many more of these should I be expecting?"

"Well, considering I love the look on your face each time, I would say much, much more."

And before she could say another word, Ren walked around the sofa and scooped her into his arms, cradling her body to his chest. "Now close your eyes," he ordered playfully. "And don't open them until I say so."

Kyoko sighed warily. "This never gets old for you, does it?"

Ren laughed and answered, "Not a bit," as he pressed a kiss upon each of her eyelids.

Then carrying her down the hall, Ren swiftly walked toward his bedroom and gently pushed the door open with his foot. Kyoko, whose eyes were still tightly shut, instantly smelled the aroma of fresh flowers all around and a heat emanating from the room.

"Ren, what's going on?" she asked curiously.

"Not yet," he said in a sing-song tone as he walked into the bedroom and towards the massive bed. Gently laying her down, Ren placed her slender body upon the covers and stood beside her. Kyoko instinctively propped herself onto her arms, noticing that the texture of his bed was different from what she last remembered. The covers were silk this time.

"Okay Kyoko, you can look now," he said.

Swiftly, she opened her eyes and to her surprise saw the most astonishing room. Bathed in warm candlelight, his bedroom was practically unrecognizable. The dresser, carpet, and bed were covered with fresh, rose petals. The windows had sheer, red curtains hanging from the top and the bed itself was covered with thick red blankets and crimson, silk pillow cases.

Kyoko couldn't believe how much the room had transformed. But the one thing that really caught her eye was how throughout the room, there were miniature sparkling frames that had pictures of them from their honeymoon, wedding, romantic dates, and even trips from around the world. And right above the dresser was a large, framed newspaper clipping of their famous kiss in front of the JTUV station with the sweet headline: JAPAN'S FAVORITE COUPLE.

This room was no longer just his, but now hers as well.

Kyoko looked up at her devoted husband and reached for his hand, pulling her beside him. He lay down next to her as she moved her head to the crook of his shoulder. Inhaling deeply, she murmured, "You did all this just for me?"

"Of course," Ren whispered, "this is our home now and I want it to be as comfortable for you as possible."

"Well, I'm very comfortable," Kyoko assured with a gentle hug around his torso, "and I love how you chose red. It sure brings back a lot of memories."

He nodded as he kissed her forehead. "It's my new favorite color."

Kyoko looked up at him and felt her breath catch as she realized he was staring down at her with such a loving gaze. No matter how many times she told herself that this was all real, Kyoko couldn't help but wonder if this was all a part of her imagination. Everything about Ren was just too good to be true. And the fact that he was her husband was a miracle all on its own.

"You're amazing," she said against his lips.

"That's my line," Ren murmured as he kissed her even deeper.

Before long, Ren turned over until his body loomed over hers, careful not to apply too much of his weight on her slender body. Kyoko's hands trailed to his smooth face as she opened her mouth and tasted the familiar texture of his lips. Even though they have been together for years now, Ren and Kyoko's love for one another never once wavered, both mentally and physically.

If anything, their affection for each other blazed with even more intensity as each day passed. And now that they understood each other like no one else possibly could, there weren't any walls that kept them apart. Ren slowly leaned back and felt his heart lurch at the sight of her face. She looked so beautiful at times like these, her cheeks a light red and her lips slightly pursed.

He let out a tiny groan as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"What's wrong?" Kyoko asked amusedly.

"Would I be a terrible husband if I told you I don't want to clean up anymore?"

She laughed and answered, "If that's true, then I guess I'm a horrible wife for thinking the same thing."

Ren smiled widely. Then in a huskier voice, murmur, "Are you still tired from the honeymoon?"

In an instant, Kyoko's innocent gaze changed to one that mirrored very much Natsu's, one of the most famous character she had ever played in her entire career. Suave and undeniably sexy, it was unbelievable to think that Kyoko and Natsu were in fact the same person. The look in her eyes was so intense and almost lustful that Ren could barely catch his breath. He could never get used to her like this.

"I'm never tired," she said silkily, running her hands through his brown hair.

As soon as the words left her lips, Ren's aura completely changed to what Kyoko playfully named as the Emperor of the Night. He was waiting for this moment just as much as she was. And with one last smoldering gaze into her fiery eyes, Ren placed a leg in between her thighs and leaned down to capture her lips once more, smoothly unbuttoning his shirt along the way.

Naturally reaching for one another, the couple lay tangled among the soft blankets and red rose petals, entering a fantasy world that solely belonged to them.


	2. Chapter 2: Reunion

Hi everyone! So thank you for continuing with this story. I'm so happy that you guys enjoyed the first chapter and I hope you will like the ones after. I just wanted to say first that school is starting for me again next week (BLEGH!) so I won't be as consistent with updates. But nevertheless, I will try my best to put up the latest chapters as soon as possible. Thanks again for all the support! Please Read and Revew!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>"Ren, can you I ask you for a favor?" a gentle voice called from the kitchen.<p>

Curiously turning towards the sound of his wife, Ren quickly set down the white plates upon the wooden coffee table and entered the kitchen. As soon as he walked past the entry way, the delicious smell of warm stew overtook his senses as he spotted Kyoko standing by the stove with a striped, blue apron wrapped around her waist.

"Sure sweetheart," he replied with a tender smile. "What do you need?"

"Can you taste this?" Kyoko asked as she lifted a wooden spoon to his lips. "And tell me what you think."

He guided her hand to his mouth and took a quick sip. Shaking his head in awe, he said, "That tastes great."

"Really? It doesn't need salt or anything?"

"Not at all. It's perfect," he complimented.

Kyoko grinned proudly at his praise as she placed the lid over the simmering pot once more and turned down the blue flame. Then turning around and taking the striped towel that was casually draped over her husband's shoulder, she asked, "Were you tidying up the living room?"

Ren nodded. "It was a little dusty around the table. And you wanted to eat dinner in there tonight, right?"

Moving her head in agreement, Kyoko explained, "I thought it would be a more casual setting than in the kitchen. Would that be okay?"

"Of course," he answered as he tucked a strand of her amber hair behind her ear. "Besides, I personally like eating in the living room."

She giggled at his easy-going comment and walked towards the food-warmer to pull out the other platters she had prepared earlier that day. Ren helped her remove each plate and positioned them upon the counter. Looking at all the different steaming dishes, he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from his lips as he asked, "You really missed cooking, didn't you, Kyoko?"

"Now that you mention it, I sort of did," she said thoughtfully as she grabbed more clean plates from the cupboard. "We spent the last three weeks in Cancun eating out and I think that that was the longest time I've ever been out of a kitchen."

Kyoko suddenly frowned at the cluttered sight before her.

"But maybe I did go a little overboard today."

Sitting upon the cool marbled counter were at least four different appetizers (lettuce wraps, wontons, mini spring rolls, and fried squid) along with numerous entrees that ranged from warm noodles and sushi. There were even some dishes currently baking in the oven and pots cooking on the stove. It looked like she was opening her own restaurant.

Ren then casually picked up a wonton and popped it into his mouth.

"Overboard or not, I love your home-cooked meals so I'm certainly not complaining."

Kyoko laughed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "You're too easy to please, Ren."

Then after another kiss, she smoothly retrieved four clear glasses and poured fresh fruit punch into each, carefully decorating them with a piece of sliced lemon.

"Fancy," Ren said with a grin as he leaned against the counter.

She narrowed her eyes at his teasing comment and retorted, "It acts as a nice garnish!"

Raising his hands in complete surrender, he said with a laugh, "I was merely pointing out your meticulous attention to details, Kyoko. I am in no place to criticize the head chef."

"That's right," she agreed with an exaggerated sniff, "you leave all the fancy garnishes to me."

"And speaking of fancy," Ren added with an amused smile, "the video finally came in."

"What video?" Kyoko asked curiously as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"The one of our wedding day that Director Ogata filmed. It came in the mail just today."

She gasped in pleasant surprise and exclaimed, "ALREADY? That's great!"

"Then what do you say to watching it after dinner?" Ren offered.

Kyoko nodded excitedly. "That sounds great. Besides, I'm sure they would want to take a look at it too."

Ren chuckled, replying, "I wonder about that. He was never one to like to see himself on camera, let alone on the big screen."

"Really?" she asked with a tiny laugh. "I didn't know Ya—"

DING DONG!

"Speak of the devil," Ren murmured with a playful wink as he straightened up to answer the door.

Kyoko eagerly followed his footsteps into the living room and watched him unlatch the golden lock. She was practically jumping up and down with anticipation. And when the white door smoothly swung open, the smile upon her face widened significantly as she found to her great surprise that the first guest was actually her best friend, dressed in casual jeans and a floral blouse.

"Moko-san!" Kyoko squealed, instinctively running to her with outstretched arms and wrapping them around her slender shoulders.

"Mo! Kyoko!" Kanae said irritably. "Dial it down, will you?"

Used to the verbal coldness by now, Kyoko only giggled in response and leaned back, crying, "How can I? It's been so long since the last time I saw you!"

Kanae rolled her eyes. "Not only me," she mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Kyoko asked with a raised eyebrow.

But before her friend could respond, Kyoko suddenly spotted someone standing behind her with a shy smile upon his face. Bespectacled and dressed in his usual clean suit, Yashiro waved awkwardly and said, "Hello Kyoko-chan."

"YASHIRO-SAN!" Kyoko exclaimed, releasing her stiff friend and bowing low in greeting. "Thank you so much for coming over today."

"Really Kyoko-chan," Yashiro said with a wary shake of his head, "I thought we were well-over this stage. Is it still necessary to be so polite?"

Kyoko smiled guiltily and replied, "I'm sorry, Yashiro-san. I guess old habits die hard."

"Which you should fully understand, Yashiro," Ren added as he leaned against the doorway. "After all, is it still necessary to wear a suit to dinner?"

His manager scowled, but all the more pleased to see Ren's genuine smile.

Then with a cheerful laugh, Kyoko said warmly, "Suit or not, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you're here, Yashiro-san. And you too, Moko-san."

Kanae sighed, a clear sign that the sappy mood had finally broken her, and murmured in a defeated voice, "You're not the only one who's appreciative. So here."

She swiftly extended a pink, paper box tied with strings to Kyoko. "A little something for tonight's dinner."

"You didn't have to, Moko-san!" she said with surprise as she stole a quick peek inside and saw that it was a delicious, round strawberry cake with the words "Welcome Home" written in chocolate frosting on top.

"And what better to go with a delicious cake than some champagne?" Yashiro added, holding a fancy glass bottle of alcohol and giving it a tempting little shake.

Ren laughed and asked, "Did you and Kotonami-san come together to coordinate this?"

"OF COURSE NOT!"

"WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT?"

"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!"

"IT'S JUST A COINCIDENCE!"

Kyoko and Ren stared at their friends with wide eyes, alarm coloring their pale faces. They had no idea what was going on. It was almost accurate to say that the sudden outburst was completely uncalled for. Kanae and Yashiro both looked extremely flustered, as if this was the most embarrassing moment of their lives. They wouldn't even look at each other.

But deciding to break the strange atmosphere that had arisen, Kyoko let out a tiny, awkward laugh and said in what she hoped was a normal voice, "Well nevertheless, both of these look great. So why don't we all go inside and enjoy dinner?"

Then smoothly wrapping her hand around Kanae's (which was strangely trembling), Kyoko led the guests into the living room as Ren quietly shut the door. When the door closed with a thud, the stiff mood instantly evaporated into thin air as Yashiro and Kanae scanned the apartment with open jaws and awed stares.

While it was Kanae's first time of ever seeing Ren's condo, Yashiro, on the other hand, had been here countless of times before so it didn't take much for him to realize that this was no longer the bachelor pad he was used to seeing. The detailed pictures and decorations around the room were all tell-tale signs that the owner was happily married and wanted nothing more than to show his joy to the rest of the world.

Kanae took a tiny step forward as her eyes ran over the leather couch, the sleek television set, the large fireplace, and the glistening little trinkets around the room. It was classier than she had expected. In fact, this was exactly the kind of place she would want to live in herself—elegant, yet intimate enough to have a couple of guests over.

"What do you think, Kotonami-san?" Ren asked with a polite smile as he stepped beside her, noticing the look in her eyes.

"It's great," Kanae murmured in quiet wonder. "A lot better than I thought it would be. No offense."

He laughed humorously at her honest answer. "Well, it's all thanks to Kyoko. She's the one who decorated everything so all of the credit belongs to her."

"Not exactly," Kyoko corrected, naturally linking her arm through his. "I didn't do everything. This happens to be your place, remember?"

He shook his head defiantly. "Our place," he whispered with a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Now that sounds about right," Yashiro added with a wide smile as he pointed at the silver wedding picture frame upon the mahogany mantle. "This definitely proves that it isn't just Ren's place anymore, Kyoko-chan."

"You know, I still can't believe that that's the same person," Kanae mumbled as she walked towards the fireplace, staring intently at the blond man beside Kyoko's gleeful face.

"I agree. This guy's much more attractive," Yashiro teased as he jabbed a thumb at the photo.

Ren glowered darkly with a trembling Kyoko at his side who was shaking with blatant laughter. Then in hopes to appease her offended husband she said with a dazzling smile, "But I fell in love with this man first."

And in a smooth motion, he stepped behind Kyoko and wrapped his arms around her waist, murmuring against her neck, "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Then shall we make a toast?" Yashiro suggested with a bemused chuckle at the loving couple.

Ren nodded in agreement as he quickly walked into the kitchen and grabbed the wine opener as well as four tall glasses. Skillfully uncorking the green bottle, he poured the frothy drink into each wine glass upon the coffee table and handed them to his guests.

"To happiness," Yashiro exclaimed with a raised glass.

"To love," Kyoko added.

"To dreams," Kanae replied.

"And finally, to our futures," Ren said with a loving glance at his wife's face.

Then with one smooth clink, everyone brought their glasses to their lips and took a quick sip of the bubbly beverage.

"That's some good champagne, Yashiro" Ren complimented.

Kyoko nodded eagerly. "I'm not particularly fond of alcohol, but this was really decent. Don't you think so, Moko-san?"

"I liked it," Kanae commented, mysteriously keeping her eyes on the golden glass in her hand.

"Oh," Yashiro said with a sheepish smile, "well, I actually got this from the place you recommend to me, Kotonami-san."

She turned to him with a surprised gaze. "Me?"

He nodded. "You told me about it in LME that one day," Yashiro answered with a quiet laugh. "Remember?"

Of course, Kanae remembered. She knew exactly what day he was referring to. It was at a time when she was just leaving the company after filling out some audition papers for a new commercial shoot. And while on her way down, she spotted him skimming through a Food magazine in the empty lobby. Noticing that he had a somewhat distraught look upon his face, she decided to ask him what was wrong. And when he informed her that he had a dinner party to go to and had no idea what to bring, Kanae casually proposed a nice bottle of champagne from Park Hyatt Tokyo.

She never thought he would actually listen, let alone think about something so inconsequential months later. To him, it should have been just a simple piece of advice from a (somewhat) complete stranger. But even with that thought in mind, Kanae couldn't deny the heat that was slowly pooling at her pale cheeks. She didn't understand why she was reacting to so much to his comment. Was it so bad that he took her advice to heart?

And with her heart beating a little faster by now, the only answer Kanae could come up with was a mumbled, "Yeah, I do…"

Kyoko, however, was nearly screaming with glee on the inside. She had never felt so excited in her life. At first, she wasn't sure if her theory was right at all, but the look on Kanae's face was now more reassuring than ever. So with a plan already formulating in her mind, she suddenly jumped in and said, "Alright! Now that we all had our toast, I'll go and get the appetizers ready."

"Would you like some help, Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro offered with an extended hand.

"No, no!" Kyoko exclaimed, vigorously shaking her head. "You and Ren should just stay in here. Moko-san and I can handle it on our own."

Kanae's head whipped around in alarm. "ME? WHAT DO YOU MEAN—?"

"COME ON, MOKO-SAN!" Kyoko interjected loudly as she gripped the top of her friend's arm and dragged her into the kitchen.

"WAIT, I DON'T WANT TO—!"

But Kanae was already standing on the cold marble floor before the last word could even escape her lips. Glaring at her friend's oddly eager face, Kanae snapped with crossed arms, "MO! I don't want to cook, Kyoko!"

"You won't have to," Kyoko answered with an impatient wave of her hand. "I just wanted you in here."

Kanae narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Why? What did you do this time?"

"What?" Kyoko mumbled in alarm. "What did I—? No! No! Moko-san! I'm talking about you!"

"What about me?"

"WHEN DID YOU REALIZE?" Kyoko exclaimed excitedly. "AND WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?"

"T-t-t-tell you want?" Kanae stammered, instinctively taking a step back from the crazy look in Kyoko's eyes.

"About you and Yashiro-san!"

Kanae's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?" she nearly shrieked as Kyoko ran up to her, flailing her hands like a maniac.

"SHHH! Do you want him to hear?" she hissed.

"Well, would you stop being so ridiculous then?" Kanae snapped with a flip of her wavy, dark hair. "There's nothing going on between us!"

Kyoko smirked.

"MO! Kyoko, I'm serious! Where did you get an idea like that?"

"I know I'm not always the most observant, Moko-san," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders, "but I'm not blind. You can't fool me."

Kanae's eyes narrowed dangerously as she asked through clenched teeth, "And what exactly did you see?"

"The averting eyes! The anxiety! THE BLUSH!"

Kyoko suddenly giggled with a hand over her mouth.

"It's exactly how I acted with Ren," she pointed out, smiling deviously.

Kanae's heart fell to the pit of her stomach. At first, all words had completely escaped her as she watched Kyoko's smile grow broader and broader from her stunned silence—not to mention, the rising anxiety from her own throat. But refusing to acknowledge such a foolish notion and giving Kyoko that kind of satisfaction, Kanae swiftly crossed her arms over her chest and replied, "That wasn't because of him. I'm just a little shy, that's all. I've never been here before so isn't it normal for me to show a little nervousness?"

Rolling her eyes, Kyoko retorted, "You nervous? Moko-san, I've known you long enough for me to confidently state that you are the least nervous person I have ever met. You do realize you're an actress, right? So why don't you just willingly tell me what happened between you two since I've been gone?"

"MO, KYOKO! There's nothing going on between me and him!" Kanae exclaimed with her hands thrown in the air in irritation.

"Me and who?"

"Yash—!"

Kanae's mouth clamped shut as if she was suddenly choked for words.

Kyoko grinned widely.

"I'm sorry, Moko-san. I didn't catch that. Who were you talking about?" she asked innocently, cupping the back of her ear with her hand.

Kanae let out a deep huff and said in a firm voice, "Kyoko, for the last and final time, you're being ridiculous—even more so than you usually are. Now can you _please_ drop this matter and enjoy the dinner ahead?"

"Oh don't worry, Moko-san," Kyoko said with a nonchalant wave of her hand, "I'll enjoy tonight's dinner. Just remember that you should too."

Her eyes widened in alarm as she stared into Kyoko's devilish expression. And with a trembling heart, Kanae knew fully well that once Kyoko got started, there was no way to rein her back—no matter how hard she tried.

The actress let out a groan.

"_I want to go home,"_ Kanae thought helplessly as Kyoko bounced around the brightly-lit kitchen, humming "the wedding march" under her breath.

* * *

><p>"Kotonami-san and Yashiro?" Ren asked in astonishment, slowly lowering his movie script onto the bed comforter. "What do you mean by that?"<p>

"I mean," Kyoko said in haste as she climbed into the silky bed beside him, "our best friends and the possibility of a little…something-something, you know?"

Ren smiled uncertainly. "Kotonami-san and…Yashiro? Really?"

"Well why not?" she asked, getting to her knees and facing him.

"Doesn't it seem a little random, sweetheart?"

Kyoko frowned and leaned back against the headboard. She crossed her arms defiantly and said, "Ren, didn't you see them tonight?"

Laughing, he replied, "Are you referring to that awkward tension?"

"SEE? I knew I wasn't the only one!" Kyoko cried with an extended finger.

"Yes honey, I did see it," Ren said with a nod of his head, intertwining his fingers through hers, "but I highly doubt it was because there was some level of attraction there."

"Ren, trust me," Kyoko said with a shake of her head, "I know Moko-san. And the way she acted tonight was really peculiar."

"Like how?" Ren asked as he moved the thick packet paper onto the bedside table.

Kyoko smiled widely and scooted closer to him, comfortably resting her head in the embrace of his outstretched arm. "Okay, when during the toast, she blushed when Yashiro talked to her, didn't she?"

He laughed. "That she did."

"And," Kyoko continued in a voice that seemed to rise in octaves from just pure excitement, "when we were sitting around the coffee table, she REFUSED to look his way even though he sat right across from her, didn't she?"

"Hmm…well, now that you mention it, Yashiro was avoiding eye-contact too," Ren pointed out thoughtfully, leaning his chin against her smooth hair.

"EXACTLY!" she said animatedly. "Now how can you tell me there's nothing going on?"

Ren let out a laugh. He realized that it wasn't like Kyoko was completely wrong. Based on all the evidence she had, an attraction between Kanae and Yashiro did seem plausible. But he really couldn't wrap his mind around it. They just seemed like a very unlikely couple.

"_Although, Kyoko and I weren't exactly predictable either,"_ he thought with a small smile.

"Ren?"

"Oh! Sorry!" he quickly answered. "I was a little lost in thought there."

"You were thinking I was right, right?" Kyoko pressed, looking up at him from under her lashes with a smile that was gleaming with obvious confidence.

Ren chuckled and strengthened his arm around her slim waist. "Alright, let's just say for conversation's sake that something is going on between them, I still don't think we should interfere."

Kyoko sat up and placed both hands upon his muscular chest, staring him down and asking in a hard voice, "Why ever should we not?"

"Sweetheart, this should be between them and only them. It's not in our place to have input."

Huffing in annoyance, she replied, "When it came to our relationship, they didn't exactly sit on the sidelines, did they?"

Ren smiled widely. "In all fairness, it was because they were sure of our feelings for each other, Kyoko. And I don't know about you, but I'm grateful they stepped in," he murmured, gingerly pulling her onto his lap until each of her legs was comfortably placed at his side.

Kyoko allowed her shoulders to slump as she leaned her head onto his chest, listening to his comforting heartbeats through his shirt. "Now that's not fair," she said with a pout. "You know I can't argue against that."

And feeling his heart swell at the sound of her sweet defeated voice, he gently pulled her lips to his. Just the texture of her lips had him drowning in pure ecstasy. Kyoko was practically sending him haywire, overriding every single one of his senses. And after a good long kiss, he unwillingly leaned back and saw the usual hazy look in her eyes. Ren smiled tenderly and brushed his fingers across her delicate cheek.

"I love you," he murmured softly.

"I love you too, Ren," Kyoko said with ease against his lips. "That's why I…"

She suddenly let out a sad sigh and lowered her head once more.

Ren blinked in surprise at her oddly subdued reaction. The change in mood was staggering. So furrowing his eyebrows in obvious concern, he placed a hand under her chin and gently raised her eyes to his, asking in a soft voice, "That's why you what?"

Kyoko tentatively stared into his brown eyes. "I feel guilty," she mumbled.

"I don't understand," Ren whispered with quiet alarm.

She breathed in deeply. "Ren, I love that we're married. I wouldn't change a single second of all that had happened between us these last few years. Never in a million years did I ever think I could ever be this happy. And to think that this is what the rest of my life will be from now on is absolutely and truly amazing. You mean the world to me."

Kyoko slowly averted her gaze.

"But now that I have you, I feel like I left her behind."

"You mean Kotonami-san?" he asked patiently.

Kyoko nodded, murmuring, "Before you Ren, she was probably the most important person in my life. And we really stuck by each other those few beginning years. But now that everything has changed, I just want to make sure that she'll be alright without me."

A breathy laugh suddenly escaped her lips. "I don't mean to say she needs me or anything like that, but I guess I want her to have someone like the way I have you."

"So that's why you're so intent on her and Yashiro," Ren stated wistfully.

Kyoko smiled and said in a brighter tone, "Not exactly! I mean, I truly do believe there's some sort of glimmer of possibility there, but to say it's my only reason isn't the whole truth either."

Ren chuckled and brushed his lips against her flushed cheek. And as she fully rested her head onto his strong shoulder, he ran his fingers up and down her spine, whispering in her ear, "I understand how you feel. Kotonami-san is important to you and she holds a place in your life that I can't possibly fill."

Kyoko kissed his neck, her way of apologizing for making him say something she knew was difficult.

He smiled at her action. "I want to be _in_ your life, Kyoko. I don't have to necessarily _be_ it."

She leaned back curiously at his explanation and stared down at her caring husband, whose eyes twinkled in the glowing lamplight. He looked so serene. Then with a sweet smile, he continued with, "So, I think I should help."

Her eyes widen. "Really?"

Ren nodded. He could easily tell how much this meant to Kyoko and the fact that she missed Kanae wasn't a surprise to him at all. Kanae certainly shouldered her in moments when Ren couldn't and Kyoko's concern for her best friend was logical. And of course, he cared about Kanae too. After getting to know her these past few years, he noticed that not only is she truly considerate, but also quite caring as well.

And besides, a relationship between Kanae and Yashiro didn't sound like a bad thing at all.

"But," he suddenly said with a raised eyebrow, "I have one condition."

"Which is?" Kyoko asked with an innocent tilt of her head.

"We have to be VERY sure about their feelings," Ren said sternly. "I don't want to make any mistakes. Deal?"

Kyoko laughed at his now teasing expression and kissed him upon the lips.

"You got yourself a deal."


	3. Chapter 3: A Chance for Change

Hi everyone! Deepest apologies for such a late update! Things have been really crazy these last three weeks. From loss of internet access to moving in to my new apartment, I haven't had time to write like I wanted to. But luckily, I was able to update a chapter this week. So besides the long wait, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter. Thanks again for the patience! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>"Sweetheart, are you sure you don't want a ride?" Ren asked worriedly, leaning his head out of the open car window.<p>

She bent down and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Yes Ren, I have a ride set up already. Besides, you shouldn't keep Yashiro waiting any more than he should."

The corners of Ren's lips turned downward as he realized that Kyoko was probably right. If he was going to be realistic, taking his wife to work might not be the best move career-wise, especially for his tight schedule. And even though nothing was as important to him as spending time with Kyoko, he knew that she would in no way accept his tardiness. So with a disappointed sigh, Ren answered reluctantly, "Alright, but I'll come pick you up right after work, okay?"

Kyoko nodded. "I'll be waiting," she replied with a tender smile. Then with one more kiss on the lips, she stood in front of the apartment complex in a pale-purple dress and waved in farewell until his silver sports-car disappeared from sight.

And as soon as the rumble of the engine faded away, Kyoko let out a tiny, inaudible sigh, realizing that she was already starting to miss him. It was at times like these when she truly understood just how much she loved her husband. Any prolonged time away from each other became more difficult by the day, especially now that they were married. And it didn't make it any easier that they were both so immersed within the entertainment industry that they barely saw each other. The entire world practically demanded their presence 24/7.

And even though it was slightly better now that they lived together, their schedules were still always jam-packed with interviews or movies or autograph signings. It was nearly impossible to be with one another during the weekdays.

Kyoko blew out another long breath. _"I guess there's a downside to everything," _she thought dejectedly.

But before she could give her longing another thought, a yellow taxi suddenly came from up the road and parked along the sidewalk right in front of her.

"Good morning, Mogami-san," the young, black-haired driver greeted politely with a tip of his head as he stepped out of the car. "Am I late?"

"Not at all, Chiaki-kun" Kyoko answered, stepping forward to the back-passenger door. "You're right on time. Thank you for coming all the way here."

Smoothly opening the door for her, Chiaki replied in haste, "It's not a problem at all, Mogami-san! I'm honored to help."

Flashing a sparkling smile in his direction, Kyoko gracefully got into the back of the cab and left the star-struck driver standing at her door in wonder before he finally jumped into action. He unsteadily got into the front seat and looked at the rearview mirror, asking, "Would you like to stop by LME first, Mogami-san?"

"No, not today, Chiaki-kun," Kyoko said with a shake of her head. "Let's go straight to the set instead."

"Right away, ma'am."

She smiled warily. Although this formality had started quite some time ago, Kyoko couldn't say she was used to it. She personally preferred how people responded to her in the past, before she was in a relationship with the most famous actor in Japan. And although Kyoko wouldn't exchange her new-found love for anything in the world, she always had this fleeting hope that people would eventually give up on the need to bow to her every time they laid eyes on her.

Of course, to say that all of this respect stemmed only from her marriage was too much of an over-generalization. After winning female role of the year, Kyoko was suddenly more than just an actress. She was a CELEBRITY. In fact, she had gotten so famous that the calls for new roles flooded in like crazy. Kyoko had never in her life had so many characters to choose from—it was nearly impossible to make a decision.

But in the end, she stuck with one and decided to participate in a new televised drama called TOUCH, about a young nurse who falls in love with a blinded man admitted in her hospital. Now if it had been a couple of years ago—when Kyoko was still a LoveMe member—she would have never accepted such a role. TOUCH was about at romantic as a drama could possibly get. In fact, the intimacy between Kyoko and her co-star, Kudo Shichiro, was so steamy that many die-hard fans came to believe she had developed some sort of special feelings for him.

However, as soon as her marriage with Ren was nationally publicized, those rumors were immediately squashed into oblivion. No one even dared to say a word about them, especially after Ren spoke up himself. But amongst all those rumors, Kyoko never once found them offensive because she knew there was no truth behind those statements at all. To be honest, she was actually surprised that her acting had become so realistic that people were able to come up with that ludicrous belief in the first place. For Kyoko, it was the best praise she could ever receive.

"We're here, Mogami-san," Chiaki suddenly called from the driver seat.

Kyoko turned to the window in astonishment. She hadn't been paying attention to the road at all. It felt like they had flown there. Then quickly reaching into her silk purse, she grasped a few bills from inside and handed them to the driver, replying, "Thank you, Chiaki-kun. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Not after work, Mogami-san?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows as he turned around to face her.

She smiled and shook her head. "Ren will come and pick me up today."

"Oh," Chiaki mumbled, facing the front window again. "I see."

Placing a hand upon his shoulder, Kyoko leaned in and said, "Besides, I feel sort of guilty for taking up so much of your evening. I'm sure you have your own plans."

"I'm not busy at all, Mogami-san!" Chiaki exclaimed in haste, turning to the right and nearly freezing in shock as he realized how close her face was.

Kyoko laughed. "You're so sweet, Chiaki-kun."

Quietly opening the car door, she made her way onto the pavement and said with a friendly wave, "I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"

He smiled in response and said with a heart that was beating slightly faster than before, "First thing, Mogami-san."

She smiled one more time before smoothly turning around and walking into the large glass building with the words AKI STUDIOS written overhead. The front doors silently slid open to allow her entrance into the cool structure where she was greeted by respectful security guards and assistants of the company. Smiling and bowing in hello, Kyoko casually made her way towards the metal elevator at the very back of the lobby. And after rising past thirty floors or so, she finally stepped out into a bright hallway.

But before she could take another step down the carpeted hall, a cheerful voice suddenly called from behind her, "Kyoko-san!"

At the sound of her name, she quickly turned around and saw that it was Shichiro striding towards her from the other end, dressed in a solid green shirt and jeans. "Good morning, Kudo-san," Kyoko greeted with a tiny bow. "You actually showed up today."

He grimaced and replied, "A guy misses practice one time and he's forever condemned for it."

Kyoko laughed. "Not forever. Besides, you know the rule, Kudo-san. We have to tease you about it for at least a month," she added with a wink.

Shichiro chuckled, realizing even more intensely how beautiful she was up close. But deciding not to dwell on such a dangerous thought, he asked, "Are you going off to make-up, Kyoko-san?"

"Yes. Aren't you, Kudo-san?"

"I'll walk you first," he side-stepped. "We have plenty of time."

Whenever anything involved Kyoko, Shichiro was always over-helpful. He had been like this ever since he found out he was going to act alongside her. Kyoko was definitely an actress he wanted to meet in person and when he first laid eyes on her, he realized that she was more amazing than he had ever perceived. Shichiro was blown away from the start, not only from her obvious beauty, but also her undeniable talent as a professional actress. Kyoko was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

And as filming for TOUCH slowly began, he was luckily able to spend more time with the young co-star and (unfortunately) fall victim to her sweet charms. And even though he was highly aware that any relationship between the two of them was about as impossible as walking on air, he couldn't help but gravitate towards her as if he truly did have a chance.

So with a brightened smile, he said, "Besides, I wouldn't be a true gentleman if I didn't walk you, Kyoko-san."

She laughed and shook her head, replying, "You're a gentleman no matter what. And my dressing room isn't far from here anyway. We shouldn't waste any time, right?"

And before Shichiro could even open his mouth to retaliate, Kyoko fluidly made her way in the opposite direction and called over her shoulder, "I'll see you on set, Kudo-san. On time hopefully!"

So leaving her disappointed co-star stranded in the middle of the hall, she casually continued down the white corridor until she got to the very end and made a sharp left. A dark door with the metallic nameplate **Mogami Kyoko** stood upon her right as she reached her hand towards the golden doorknob and gave it a quick turn. Furnished with leather couches and a brightly lit platform, Kyoko's dressing room was filled with cosmetics, racks of ensembles, and scripts upon her mahogany coffee table.

Hooking her purse onto the chair before her white, marbled dresser, Kyoko patiently sat in the black seat and picked up the packet of paper in front of her. It was the script for the day's scene. So while waiting for her make-up artist to arrive, Kyoko quickly scanned through her many lines. And with every word that was silently read, she could feel traces of Mogami Kyoko slowly begin to slip away…

* * *

><p><em>Fujii Hitomi tiredly rubbed her eyes as she pushed the metal cart down the hall. The sound of wheels rolling against vinyl floor echoed all around while her eyes scanned the many different people who ran past her. Nurses, patients in blue thin robes, and doctors rushed throughout the hospital, all with a purpose and a place to be.<em>

_Hitomi, on the other hand, walked around in somewhat of a daze. Her mind was hopelessly cluttered, her attention divided. She had a job to do—an important job at that, but she always had a hard time focusing. In fact, she was never one to be truly focused on anything. Hitomi let out a deep, weary sigh as she turned into an open room at the end of the hall. _

_The currently empty room used to belong to a patient who was discharged earlier that morning. He was a successful business man who had a brilliant degree and was the head of his own multi-millionaire company. But underneath all of his success, he also shouldered a disastrous marriage, troubled kids, and now a heart attack at a mere 33 years old. Even though the doctors were able to put him back on his feet, Hitomi doubt they truly healed him. She had never seen a more depressed man in her life._

_Yet who was Hitomi to judge? She wasn't exactly an expert when it came to relationships either. A young woman who recently turned 24 years old, Hitomi's luck with love was practically nonexistent. She had been out on dates plenty of times before, but she could never choose someone. No matter how perfect or smart he was, no matter how well he treated her, she could pinpoint just about any imperfection that would completely shatter his image. Hitomi saw too much._

"_Fujii-san?"_

_Hitomi jumped in alarm, not even realizing that she was standing in the middle of the room with the bed sheets hanging from her weak grasp. Thankfully, it was only her co-worker Mika who had called her name and not the head-nurse._

_Raising her eyebrow in concern, the young nurse continued with, "Are you alright, Fujii-san?"_

"_I'm fine, Mika-chan," Hitomi said with a sheepish smile. "Just staring off into space is all."_

"_You better not let Kumiko-sama catch you. She'll skin you alive," Mika scorned with a playful wag of her finger._

_Hitomi laughed. "I'll keep my eye out for her."_

_Mika smiled in amusement, replying, "Good. Now, why don't you go on and leave this room to me? I can take it from here."_

_Shaking her head, Hitomi retorted, "It's alright, Mika-chan. I can do it."_

"_Don't you have to go up to the third floor though?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. "I heard he was asking for you today."_

_Hitomi felt her heart thud to a halt. It was as if all the air was suddenly sucked out of the room. But refusing to let Mika see, she fluidly turned her back on her and mumbled, "I'll go up later."_

"_Fujii-san," Mika chided as she took the sheets out of her hands, "it's not proper to keep him waiting. I would assume you out of all people should feel sympathy for him. Don't you feel a little obligated to help?"_

_Hitomi bit down on her lip, realizing that Mika had a point. Whenever she thought about him, her heart would ache within her chest as if someone had their hands around it and were twisting it in every which way they could. But at the same time, she was never comfortable being alone in the same room with him either. Somehow, it always felt like he was watching her—even though it wasn't even remotely possible._

_So slowly feeling her resolve die away with every passing second, Hitomi gave a small nod and handed her friend the clean sheets. "Thanks Mika-chan," she murmured without looking at her._

_Then with what felt like leaden feet, Hitomi walked out of the room and made her way to the stairs. She wanted to prolong the trip to his room for as long as possible. She had to prepare herself first. If this was going to be anything like the other times she came up, Hitomi had to get a grip or he was going to completely overtake her once again. _

_Unfortunately, it took her only ten minutes to reach his room. The door was left open and she could hear the quiet sounds of the television playing inside. Hitomi stopped right outside the door, scanning the scene before her. He was sitting upright in the long, rectangular hospital bed and facing the television set hanging overhead. His large hands were comfortably placed upon the woolen covers and his legs were stretched out before him. _

_He didn't turn to her. He didn't even know she was there. _

_Hitomi slowly walked in and as soon as her foot touched the cold floor, he turned to the doorway with a curious expression. _

"_It's me," she said quietly._

_The corners of his lips turned upward into a sincere smile. Then in a silkily voice, he replied, "Finally. I've been waiting."_

_With her heart racing at his precarious words, she replied, "You could have called other nurses."_

_He laughed. "You're right. I could have."_

_Hitomi silently walked towards the side of the bed and stood beside him, unable to respond. His head was turned upwards at her, but his green eyes saw nothing. He was blind. Ono Haruka was blinded from a head-on collision by a drunk driver. The accident occurred only a few weeks earlier, but he was forced to stay in the hospital to run more medical tests. From the looks of his totaled car, Haruka should have lost more than just his sight—much more. Therefore, the doctors wanted to make sure that his surprisingly good health was truly as good as it seemed to be._

"_You're awfully quiet today, Hitomi," Haruka casually pointed out, extending his hand to her._

_Hitomi froze as his fingers intertwined through hers. This was his way of connecting with somebody. It couldn't be helped. Without sight, he had to rely on his sense of touch to get a feel of the people around him. But even with that in mind, Hitomi couldn't help, but react to his outstretched hand. It clearly dominated her own. In fact, everything about him dominated her. _

_She swallowed the odd heavy lump that rose in her throat and murmured, "It's nothing."_

"_You're a horrible liar," he said with a teasing smile. "I don't need my sight to see that."_

_Hitomi's eyes widen. It always surprised her whenever he could speak about his blindness so casually. Any normal person would have been devastated to lose their sight, especially when they could have seen before. Yet Haruka was everything but devastated. It was almost as if he was happy to be rid of it. _

"_Did I say something wrong?" he asked after the prolonged silence, furrowing his eyebrows in puzzlement. He didn't like Hitomi's lack of response or reaction at all. _

"_No," she answered in a surprisingly hard voice as she lowered herself upon the edge of his bed. "None of this is your fault. You did nothing wrong."_

_Haruka smiled at her double-edged comment. "I'm sure I played a part, Hitomi."_

"_How is it that you're not bothered by this?" she suddenly said in an exasperated voice, throwing her hands into the air. "Don't you care that your whole life has changed? Doesn't it matter to you that you will never know the color of the sky anymore? The city-lights of Tokyo? The faces of your friends and family? DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT YOU WILL NEVER SEE ANYTHING AGAIN?"_

_Hitomi angrily clenched her hands together. This was why she didn't want to come. With any other patient, she would have kept that professional distance. She would have had enough restraint from getting attached no matter what. But Haruka was different. From the day he was admitted, Hitomi couldn't take her eyes off of him. And when she was appointed as his personal nurse, she came to realize that behind that beautiful face, there was an incredibly clever and inspiring man. Day by day, she grew more and more intrigued by his comments, his wit, and his charm. But by now, she felt as if she couldn't escape his spell. Hitomi felt trapped—and his hands were the chains._

"_I don't need my sight to see everything," Haruka answered in a calm voice, blindly reaching a hand towards her voice._

_Hitomi's heart jumped when his long fingers brushed against her cheek. Then before she could say anything, he gently pulled her face towards him until they were barely an inch apart. Haruka cradled her tiny face in both of his hands, as if he was holding the most precious jewel._

_She stared relentlessly into his un-seeing green eyes, unable to move at all. His cool breath blew into her face as he murmured, "Even without my eyes, I know that this is still you."_

_Hitomi couldn't answer. She was rendered completely speechless. _

"_Like these," he whispered, "are your eyes."_

_Running a gentle finger over her top lid, Haruka felt her close her eyes and her body slowly begin to relax at his touch. _

"_Your cheeks," he murmured as he rubbed a thumb over her flushed skin that was as smooth as satin._

_Haruka suddenly shifted closer to her until he could feel her quiet breath upon his face and said in a low voice, "And I know that these are your lips."_

_Hitomi couldn't breathe by now. If she made even the tiniest movement, their lips would touch. She desperately wanted to move, but was conflicted in what direction. Her hands trembled in her lap and her knees shook violently. Everything inside her was reacting so sporadically. _

_Then in a surprisingly tender movement, Haruka pressed his forehead against hers, wanting more than nothing for time to stop for just a moment. _

"_Ono-san," Hitomi whispered involuntarily._

_He slowly shook his head. "Haruka," he corrected in a soft voice._

_Hitomi opened her eyes and feeling her heart thump loudly within her chest, murmur in the most tender tone, "Haruka…"_

_He sighed, as contentment flooded through his veins at the sound of her voice. _

_"I don't want your pity, Hitomi," he said under his breath. "That's not what I need from you at all."_

"_Then what do you need?" she breathed quietly._

_He smiled. "This."_

_And gently running his fingers through her soft hazel locks, he slowly pulled her face to his until their lips…_

* * *

><p>"CUT!"<p>

Kyoko's eyes sprung open in surprise. Instinctively she moved back and realized that she was actually on set. Shichiro, who barely sat an inch from her, looked stunned as well. His green eyes were no longer glazed over, but very focused and alert. He appeared to be completely caught off guard.

"That was great you two," Director Annaka Sutoyo complimented as he approached them from off-stage with a proud smile upon his face. "Good job with the scene."

Automatically rising to her feet, Kyoko bowed low and said, "Thank you very much, sir."

"You don't want to finish it, Director?" Shichiro asked, failing to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "It's okay to leave it the way it is?"

He laughed. "It'll leave more suspense for the viewers. The anticipation is normally even better than the actual result itself. Besides, I'm the sure the kiss was implied."

It was clear that that answer did not please Shichiro in the slightest as he removed the thin blankets and climbed out of the hospital bed. The stage crew was already starting to prepare for the next scene, so the disappointed actor had not choice, but to walk off with Kyoko and the Director, practically sulking and cursing his horrible luck for not having another second as Ono Haruka.

Kyoko, on other hand, was too busy reflecting on her performance to notice his reaction. Although she never had much control over her character once she was immersed within her role, she always thought up of new ways to improve herself and her acting ability. For Kyoko, acting was a constant job that could always be made better.

But just as she was about to go back to her dressing room to prepare for the next scene, the Director suddenly told her to come and talk to him in his office for a moment.

Puzzled but willing, Kyoko bid a quick farewell to a curious Shichiro and followed him inside his personal room.

"Is something wrong, sir?" Kyoko asked worriedly as she sat herself upon the dark seat across his desk.

The Director closed the silver door behind him and shook his head. "Don't worry. I have no complaints. I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about your career," he explained as he took his seat across from her.

Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows, listening intently to his words.

"Now Kyoko, we've worked together ever since Box R, so I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries when I say that I know your way of acting through and through."

She shook her head vigorously, a sign that she agreed with his comment. Director Sutoyo was one of the few people Kyoko worked with multiple times and she definitely felt a special bond with him. In certain ways, she saw him as more of an adviser than an employer.

He smiled at her response. "Over the past few years, your fame has grown exponentially as well as your talent. It would be a shame to bottle it up now."

"I can't say I understand what you mean sir," Kyoko replied with confusion. "Aren't I taking on new roles?"

"I don't mean in acting, Kyoko," the Director clarified with a shake of his head. "I mean in other areas of expertise."

She didn't respond.

"Kyoko, you are one of the most versatile people I have ever met. Some people have literally called you the chameleon of the entertainment world. Acting has certainly allowed you to gain such a valuable skill."

He leaned back against his seat and touched his fingertips together. "However, I think that a person of your caliber should do more than just act. You should consider taking on new positions than just merely as an actress."

"Like what, sir?" Kyoko asked in surprise.

Director Sutoyo stood up from his chair and walked to his large bookshelf, grabbing a thick black binder. He then gently set the book onto her lap and sat across from her once again. He nodded his head at her confused gaze, motioning her to open it.

Gingerly, she flipped the binder open and saw numerous pictures of models. They were all dressed in designer clothes, standing in front of beautiful scenery. Instantly falling into her love for fashion and cosmetics once more, Kyoko went through the laminated pages eagerly with an obvious smile upon her face.

"Wow, these are great, sir," she complimented breathlessly. "They're beautiful."

"That is a magazine in the works, Kyoko," he explained with crossed arms.

"In the works?"

The Director nodded. "CHIC is a company that was started by a very close associate of mine who is desperately trying to find his anchor in the fashion industry. As you can see, the company has potential, but it needs a little something more to give it that edge to really make its debut."

Kyoko made a responsive sound from the back of her throat. That part she understood well. To make it in this world, talent wasn't the only thing required. Creativity and originality were a must as well.

"However, I truly believe that with the right kind of models and talent, CHIC will be greatly successful. And this is where you come in, Kyoko."

Her jaw dropped open in surprise.

"Me? Model?" she croaked. "I've never done such a thing before, Director!"

He chuckled. "Well, I have a hard time believing that after you successfully embraced the role of Natsu, Kyoko. But even if that's true, isn't it still best to try new things? Why restrain yourself when you have the chance to grow? Besides, aren't you even slightly curious about that world at all?"

Now that he mentioned it, Kyoko had to admit that she slightly was. Flipping through the binder again, she couldn't deny the feeling of wanting to be a model, if only for a moment. It did look like an opportunity of a lifetime and here it was: practically in her grasp.

Nibbling on her lower lip, she said reluctantly, "Let's just say I agreed, sir. What would this job entail?"

"Well, you would be working as model for a certain period of time, going to photo-shoots, participating in runway shows, as well as trying to get the name CHIC out into the public."

Kyoko nodded thoughtfully. "That seems alright," she mumbled.

"There is, however, one important catch," the Director pointed out with a serious expression.

Her body tensed at the sternness of his voice. It almost sounded ominous. So feeling slightly more nervous, she asked, "And that would be, sir?"

"You won't be working in Japan."

Kyoko's eyes widen in alarm as Director Sutoyo nodded.

"Yes Kyoko, if you choose to accept this job, you will be leaving home for quite a long time."

"To where?" she murmured with frozen eyes.

"New York."


	4. Chapter 4: Their Choice

Hi everyone! Deeply sorry (again...) for the late update. I didn't realize school would be so busy! But I truly appreciate the fact that you all haven't abandoned the story. So thank you for that! As usual, I hope you like the next update! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Kyoko stood before her dressing room mirror as she slowly buttoned up her sweater. The last scene for TOUCH was finally filmed and now all that followed was a half year hiatus, leaving the popular show at a suspenseful cliff-hanger, only to be picked up again after six months.<p>

So with a formal break away from the drama, Kyoko couldn't really come up with any _professional_ reason as to why she shouldn't take the job. After discussing the details of the modeling career with the Director Sutoyo in his office, Kyoko began to feel even more indecisive about what she wanted. If she was to be completely honest with herself, she knew that this modeling career was going to be a chance of a lifetime.

She would have the opportunity to travel, to meet new people in the industry, to create a new mold for herself, and just the simple fun of dressing up and working with fashion was as appealing as it could possibly get. Kyoko understood the value of such a career. It would be nothing, but a beneficial experience she will probably treasure forever.

But even though there was a true desire to extend her hand towards that bright chance, the sacrifice of what she would have to make seemed to weigh out more. Sure the job was amazing, but a three-month stay in a foreign place? A trip that would separate her from her friends, family, and—?

Her fingers froze at the bottom button as the word flitted across her mind. It was almost too painful to think about. How could she possibly say yes when it had that kind of condition? No matter how perfect the job, was it truly worth the sacrifice?

Kyoko shook her head dejectedly and picked up the slim pink phone upon her dresser. It was no use trying to rationalize her way through this. It felt like she was getting nowhere.

Then casually glancing at the now glowing cellular screen, Kyoko realized that it was already 7:22. Ren was probably on his way.

So with her spirits significantly lifted from the prospect of seeing him, Kyoko quickly closed her dressing room door behind her and made her way down to the lobby. Most of the crew and cast had already gone home, except for some stragglers standing in the main room. And after stopping for a friendly, quick chat with her co-workers, Kyoko went to the underground garage and scanned the cool, dark space. Before she could even take in another breath, her lips curved into a natural smile as she spotted a familiar car parked only a few spots away.

He was patiently leaning against the hood of his trunk, his dark eyes staring directly at the floor. But at the sound of the quiet click of her heels, Ren raised his head and flashed a breathtaking smile in her direction. Kyoko seemed to look more and more beautiful every time he saw her.

Smoothly straightening to his feet, he approached his wife with loving eyes and said, "Hi sweetheart. How was work today?"

Kyoko naturally stepped into the warm embrace of his outstretched arms and snuggled her face into his broad chest, murmuring, "Good, but tiring. We finished filming the first season of the drama today."

"You did?" Ren asked in surprise. "That's great! When does the finale premiere?"

"Next Friday at eight o'clock sharp," she said with a proud smile.

He laughed at her smug expression and replied, "Well, I can't wait. I'm sure it'll be absolutely amazing. So then how about we eat out tonight to celebrate?"

Kyoko nodded. "I'd like that."

Leaning down and giving her a quick kiss, Ren smoothly intertwined his fingers through hers and led her to the passenger side of his vehicle. He opened the door for her and gently helped her into the leather seat before he walked over and got into the driver seat himself.

"So where would you like to go?" he asked as he buckled the seat belt.

"Anywhere's fine," Kyoko replied with a nonchalant shake of her head. "I'm up for anything."

"Well, there's a new sushi restaurant that just opened downtown. It might be a little busy, but I heard it was pretty good."

"Sushi it is," Kyoko answered simply.

Chuckling at her easy-going personality, Ren smoothly put the car into reverse and drove out of the dark garage into the dim lights of the setting sun. Once fully on the road, he reached over and tenderly held her hand in his, rubbing small circles upon her warm skin, keeping only one hand on the wheel. Kyoko leaned her head against his strong arm and sighed.

"It's getting harder every day," she whispered in a quiet voice.

"What is?"

She breathed in deeply. "Spending any prolonged time away from you."

Ren's brown eyes softened as he felt his heart flutter at her sweet comment. Whenever Kyoko expressed her vulnerable side so willingly, he could always feel his self-restraint begin to buckle, piece by piece. She was truly irresistible at times like these.

So in a silky voice, he replied, "I know what you mean. The longer I'm away from you, the more uneasy I get. Like today, I had such a strong urge to call you on set."

"Why didn't you?" Kyoko asked back in a playful tone.

Ren laughed. "I was afraid that once I heard your voice, I would have dropped everything right then and there. Yashiro certainly wouldn't be pleased about that."

"Probably," she said with a small smile. "And you already give him enough trouble as it is."

"I resent that!" he replied defensively, his smile growing broader at their teasing interplay.

Kyoko giggled in response. "I'm sure you do."

Ren touched his cheek against her smooth hair and replied, "But in all seriousness, I miss you too. It's hard not being around you all the time when for the past few months you were there no matter where I turned."

He let out a sigh. "For the first time in my life, I actually wanted my vacation to be longer."

Nodding, Kyoko murmured, "Me too."

He smiled gently. "But even though we're busy with work, we still see each other every evening, right? So no matter how tight our schedules are, from eight to the early hours of the next morning, we get to spend as much time together as we want."

Kyoko slowly averted her eyes, staring down at their interlocked hands. Technically, Ren would be right about that if Kyoko wasn't thinking about the job offer. If she wasn't considering a modeling career, they _would_ see each other every night, eating dinner together, snuggling on the couch together, and sleeping together like a properly married couple should.

Kyoko wouldn't have to miss him at all.

And that was when it hit her.

Nothing was as important to her as her husband. No matter the benefits and advantages, a life without Ren wasn't an option. How could she just up and leave him? Didn't she swear and vow that she will be by his side until the end of time? So wouldn't a modeling career force her to break that promise?

Kyoko slowly straightened up into a sitting position as she felt her resolve begin to solidify within her. She knew exactly what she wanted to do now. The answer was as simple as that. A chance of a lifetime or not, New York just wasn't for her. So glancing out of the car window with hard eyes, she mumbled in a determined voice, "And that's why I won't do it."

Ren's eyes darted to her oddly stern face in blatant confusion before quickly turning back to the road as he asked, "Do what, Kyoko?"

"Nothing," she answered with a firm shake of her head. "It isn't anything important."

"What isn't important?" Ren pressed.

Kyoko smiled warily, realizing that he wasn't going to drop it. Once Ren's curiosity was piqued, there was no stopping him. So in a defeated tone, Kyoko explained, "I was offered a job today by Director Sutoyo and I decided not to accept it."

"What kind of offer?" he asked innocently.

"A modeling position."

The car slowly came to a fluid stop at the green light as Ren turned towards her with wide, shocked eyes. Kyoko stared back at them, completely alarmed by his reaction. Ren had never looked more stunned.

"You don't want to do it?" he asked incredulously.

Kyoko laughed nervously at his bug-eyed expression and said, "No, Ren, I don't. And I think you should keep driving, sweetheart, before the light turns red."

Instantly realizing his mistake, Ren pressed his foot against the gas pedal once more until the silver car was back at its regular speed, winding down the road. But still confused about his wife's response, Ren asked in a calmer voice, "I thought you always wanted to model, Kyoko."

She shook her head. "Not necessarily. I mean, it only crossed my mind a few times," she fibbed, aware that a few times wasn't true at all.

"Nevertheless, you still considered it. So why do you want to turn this down?"

And to Ren's great surprise, Kyoko didn't respond immediately. She just stared out the window, watching the buildings whizz past her like a fast-forwarded movie. It was almost as if she was too afraid to speak at all.

Confused and a little worried, he continued in a softer voice, "Kyoko, for as long as I've known you, modeling has been something that you've always wanted to try, not to mention something you'll excel at. I don't want you to let such a great opportunity pass without entirely being sure about your choice."

She slowly raised her amber eyes to his face and asked in a tiny voice, "You think I should take this job?"

"To be honest—yes, I think you should."

"Even if it's a three-month trip to New York?" she whispered.

The car screeched to a complete halt this time, a heavy silence hovering over the both of them. Ren couldn't believe it. It felt as if someone had just punched him straight in the gut, rendering him completely speechless about what just happened. Suddenly, he had no idea of what to do or say. The change in conversation was absolutely staggering

Seeing how tense her husband's body was by now, Kyoko tenderly brushed her fingertips across his pale cheek and smiled as his dark eyes met her gaze. "Don't worry, Ren. I don't plan on doing it. It's not what I'm looking for so there's no reason for me to travel all the way to New York. Besides, there will be plenty of chances to model here. I'm in no rush."

Ren angled his body towards her and pressed her hand against his face. He could see that her smile was genuine. She clearly meant every word. And if he had let the subject drop, they would have happily gone off to dinner, forgetting everything about New York or modeling. It would have never been brought up again. But no matter how much his heart wanted to dismiss the job, there was a part of him that knew this was wrong.

He couldn't just let her say no.

He couldn't just let her forget about everything…especially if it was because of him.

Ren was always aware of Kyoko's passion for both modeling and the fashion industry. She was about as intrigued about clothes and cosmetics as any teenage girl. A modeling career would practically be a dream come true for her. It was everything she loved all rolled into one.

So swiftly moving the car off to the side of the road and putting it into park, Ren unbuckled his seat belt and fully faced his wife. He tenderly cupped her warm cheek and asked, "Kyoko, why don't you want to do this job?"

"Because of the distance," she stated simply as she turned her lips to the palm of his hand. "Because I would be away from you."

Ren let out a small smile as he pressed a small kiss to her forehead. "But I don't want you to give up your dream for something like that."

"What do you mean 'something like that?' You're more important to me than a career, Ren. I don't need to model."

"Kyoko," he began patiently, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I don't ever want to come in between you and your goals. As your husband, I should never be an obstacle, but rather someone who will support you. I should make things easier, not harder."

"You're not an obstacle, Ren," Kyoko disagreed vehemently with an almost irritated shake of her head. "I don't want to go to New York because I'm going to be separated from you. It's not you who is standing in the way. It's all me."

His eyes softened at her stubborn words. It was so clear to him how much she loved him. She was as devoted to him as he was to her, but even with that beautiful thought in mind, Ren knew that her refusal to model wasn't as simple as that. He understood Kyoko well enough to know that somewhere inside of her, she truly did want this job.

So with a warm expression, Ren replied, "Well, what if I told you I want you to take this offer?"

Kyoko's eyes widen.

He ran his thumb across her cheek, continuing, "That nothing will change no matter how many miles are put between us? That we will still be in contact every day? And that I'll come visit you as soon as I can? What would you say then?"

Kyoko blinked a few times in astonishment, allowing his words to really set in. Although she knew that he was only trying to fix all the problems as to why she was refusing, she couldn't stop herself from really considering it this time. If she took Ren's words to heart, the modeling career wouldn't be so bad after all.

Ren, who politely remained silent as she thought everything through, clearly noticed the internal battle that raged within her fiery eyes. Her gaze was focused on him, but her attention was obviously elsewhere. The calculative look upon her face only reinforced his first prediction that it really was only because of him that she didn't want to take the offer. But by giving her a solution to all of her troubles, Ren was sure that it would help her make the right decision.

And finally, after a few minutes of mulling it over, Kyoko mumbled, "How often will we talk?"

Ren chuckled at her almost child-like sounding voice and tenderly kissed her, before replying, "Any second that becomes even minutely unbearable."

"And you'll come see me?"

"The very first chance I get," he reassured with amused eyes.

Kyoko exhaled deeply. "You won't be mad if I say yes to this job?"

Ren shook his head.

"Nothing will change?" she asked in earnest.

"Well," he began with a playful smile, "considering that my love for you grows with each passing day, there will undeniably have to be _some_ change."

Smiling widely at his sweet comment, she wrapped her thin arms around his neck and pressed her flushed face against his bare neck, murmuring, "I don't mind that kind of change."

His arms strengthened around her. "Nor do I," he whispered softly.

Kyoko slowly leaned back and kissed him lovingly upon the lips, running her fingers through his silky hair, touching his heated skin, and trying with all her might to put everything about him into memory…as she set her mind on New York.

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><p><strong><em>Two Weeks Later…<em>**

Kanae glared at the other wall, tapping her foot incessantly on the floor and refusing to turn towards the sniffling sound upon her right. She thought that if she ignored her outburst long enough, the incessant crying would eventually stop. But with each passing second, her sniffles only got obnoxiously louder and louder until Kanae could practically hear it echo in her brain. Completely fed up, she turned towards her friend angrily and snapped, "MO! Kyoko, stop with the crying! You're so irritating!"

"B-b-b-but M-m-m-oko-san!" Kyoko blubbered, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "I won't s-s-s-see you for t-t-t-t-three months-s-s!"

And just as she was about to wipe the tears from running down her face with the sleeve of her cashmere jacket, Kanae suddenly raised a hand and slapped her hand away, retorting, "Don't use your sweater! It'll ruin it!"

Then reaching into her purse, she grabbed a purple handkerchief and offered, "Here, use this instead."

Kyoko's eyes shimmered with emotion in the white light as more tears threatened to well over. And before her friend could even put up a hand to stop her, Kyoko wailed loudly at the top of her lungs and flung both arms around Kanae's shoulders, sobbing hysterically.

"KYOKO! MO! YOU'RE EMBARRA—! CAN YOU PLEASE—? KYOKO! MO, DON'T CRY—!"

But it was no use. Her heart-wrenching cries were reverberating off the walls and furniture. Thankfully though, they were standing in the private area of the Tokyo airport so there weren't too many people around to witness such a tear-breaking moment.

And after what felt like hours of nonstop wailing, Kyoko slowly released her defeated friend and smiled tearfully, murmuring in a thick voice, "I'm sorry, Moko-san. I guess this is going to be a lot harder than I thought."

Kanae exhaled heavily, her shoulder drenched with salty tears. "Mo, you're not staying in New York forever. There's no need to be this emotional. Look, your eyes are all ugly and puffy now. That's NOT how the face of a model should be, right?"

"Right," Kyoko answered obediently, her mood a tiny bit lifted from Kanae's stern advice. She knew what her best friend was doing; she was trying to make this moment as normal as possible—to reassure her that everything will be fine.

After wiping the stray tears from her eyes, Kyoko was just about to return the lavender handkerchief back, when Kanae suddenly shook her head.

"Keep it," she said. "You're probably going to cry more on the plane, so you'll need it more than I do."

Kyoko sniffled and nodded. "Thank you, Moko-san."

And seeing her friend's obviously glum expression, Kanae shook her head warily and murmured, "Mo, don't look at me like that. It's just one trip, you know."

"I know," Kyoko said quietly. "It'll just be weird not seeing you every day and hearing from you all the time. Everything will be really different."

"Well, aren't you going to call me?" Kanae asked in a hard voice, her eyes narrowing in irritation.

"Of course I will!"

"Mo, then nothing will change," she replied, rolling her eyes. "You'll still call me like you always do and go into your usual annoying tirade about how tiring work is and who pissed you off that day, all the while insisting that I care, right?"

Kyoko laughed tearfully. "Right."

"Then don't worry," she said in a softer voice as the corners of her lips slightly lifted into a comforting smile. "You're not going to miss me at all."

With already open arms, Kyoko gently hugged Kanae once more, who surprisingly didn't fight back this time, and whispered under her breath, "I'll see you in three months."

"Three months it is."

And with one last small smile at her best friend, Kyoko slowly made her way towards the large white gate at the end of the lobby, swinging her dark purse over her shoulder. But before she walked through the entrance, she spotted Yashiro standing nearby, staring down at his black wristwatch. But at the sound of her quiet footsteps, he raised his head in curiosity and with a sweet smile, waved her over.

"Is Ren talking to the pilot?" Kyoko asked as she approached him.

He nodded. "But you should go on in anyway. I think he might be waiting for you in there."

Then very gently, Kyoko reached out a slender hand and placed it upon his arm, murmuring, "Yashiro-san, please watch out for Ren for me. Not to say that you haven't been, but I think you can understand my anxiety, can't you?"

"Of course, Kyoko-chan," Yashiro replied warmly with a nod of his head. "And don't worry; I'll keep an eye out for him."

Fully aware that she could trust Yashiro's words more than anyone's, Kyoko smoothly stepped up and gave him a quick hug. "Take care of yourself, Yashiro-san," she whispered softly.

"Same to you, Kyoko-chan. And have fun in New York," he advised, gently hugging her back.

She laughed and nodded. "I will."

Feeling even more emotionally drained from all the heartfelt good-bye's, Kyoko quickly walked through the gate and unsteadily made her way down the gray tunnel until she reached the door of the private plane. It was a small plane compared to a regular commercial aircraft, but for just one sole passenger, it was as spacious as a mini apartment. It had everything she needed from her own bathroom, a mini kitchen, and even a flat screen television.

And just as she was about to set her purse upon the white leather seat, the man she was looking for suddenly walked out of the of cockpit, his eyes meeting hers immediately. With a softened expression, he approached his wife and without hesitation, wrapped her tiny body within his strong arms.

She breathed in deeply, recognizing the familiar smell of his cologne and the warmth of his smooth skin. She had no desire to let him go. Kyoko wanted to hold onto him forever because she knew that this farewell was going to be the hardest of them all. She had been dreading this moment ever since she decided to leave.

Ren must have noticed her nervousness because he suddenly pressed a kiss to her temple, murmuring, "Everything will be fine, Kyoko."

She nodded silently, trying with all her might to hold back the tears that were already forming at the corner of her eyes.

"I love you," he said warmly.

"I love you too, Ren."

When he lifted her face to his, he could see it in her amber eyes; she refused to say goodbye. To be honest, he didn't want to either. He couldn't get himself to say the words at all.

So instead of saying anything, Ren gently placed a hand under her chin and caught her heated lips with his own. The kiss was undeniably slow, filled with sadness, longing, and desire. Kyoko naturally dug her fingers into his hair as his grip around her waist tightened. They both wanted time to stop. They would have done anything to remain where they were forever.

But instinctively knowing that it was impossible, Ren and Kyoko slowly backed away from each other, staring into one another's eyes with an expression that meant more than mere words.

"Call me as soon as you land," he whispered in a husky voice, rubbing his thumb across her porcelain skin.

"I will," she breathed.

And after one last tender kiss, Ren unwillingly stepped away from Kyoko, feeling his heart crack, until he stood by the open door. She remained standing where she was, her expression changing from one of sadness to one that firmly said she could do this. Kyoko had never looked more determined, a side of her Ren knew well. She was ready to go.

"I'll see you soon," he said with an encouraging smile.

Kyoko's smile beamed brightly in response as she said without hesitation, "Until then."

Then slowly turning around, Ren walked with what felt like leaden feet out of the tunnel and made his way into the airport lobby. It truly seemed as if he left a part of himself with Kyoko. He had never felt so empty in his life. When he stepped onto the vinyl floor, he saw Yashiro patiently waiting for him by the blue chairs with a comforting smile upon his face, all ready to greet him.

Ren cracked a small smile, asking, "Where's Kotonami-san?"

"She went to call a taxi. She had an audition to get to."

"Oh," Ren mumbled, his eyes turning to the large glass window that faced the long concrete runway.

Yashiro chuckled softly. "Miss her already?"

"More than I ever thought I would."

"It'll get easier," Yashiro said, clapping a brotherly hand upon his friend's shoulder. "Just give it some time."

Ren smiled warily, clearly unconvinced by his words.

"I mean it," he insisted. "You have the premiere of your movie soon and you have plenty of other appointments lined up too. Before you know it, three months would have passed by like nothing and Kyoko will be home just like she should be."

"Then I want time to go by faster," he complained with a frown.

Yashiro chuckled. "Don't be so worried, Ren. Everything will work out."

Ren could only nod in response as he saw a large, silver bird suddenly shoot through the air, taking the love of his life practically an ocean away. He exhaled deeply as the last part of his heart fell to pieces. But with a slight nudge from Yashiro, Ren unwillingly made his way out of the airport and turned his back towards the large window.

But as they walked out of the double-glass doors together, Ren couldn't deny the feeling of anxiety that was prickling in the back of his mind...as if letting go of Kyoko was the worst mistake of his life.


	5. Chapter 5: Upon Arrival

HI THERE! Thanks for all the past reviews! You all are such an inspiration. I know my updates aren't consistent, but thank you so much for still reading. Hope you like this chapter! Please Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>"Mogami-san?"<p>

Kyoko turned her head to the right and saw the stewardess bending down with a smile upon her face, placing a slender hand upon her white, leather seat. Kyoko took out her earphones and smiled warmly up at her. "Yes, Bridgette?"

"I just wanted to inform you that we're about to land soon, so the flight will start to get a little bumpy near the end."

Eagerly looking out the clear window, Kyoko squinted her eyes and spotted a sliver of land sitting just over the horizon. She had been watching nothing but sparkly blue water pass by her small window for who knows how long and the prospect of seeing city lights definitely lifted her subdued spirits.

"How much longer will it be?" she asked politely, turning back to Bridgette.

"Around twenty minutes or so."

Kyoko nodded. "Thank you, Bridgette."

And with one last smile, the stewardess walked away and left Kyoko to her thoughts, who had already lifted her black music device off the table and held it in her grasp. She had been listening to the same playlist for the entire flight, missing her husband more and more with each passing song. It was a mix of all their favorite music that ranged from the first tune they heard in his car to the romantic ballad that played during their first dance at their wedding.

Each song held a very special memory in her heart. Kyoko could practically remember every smile, every laugh, and every kiss they shared as it played. So as the lyrics echoed through her mind, the fervent desire to see his face continued to burn on like a never-ending flame.

Instinctively looking down at her left ring finger, Kyoko brushed her fingertips against the diamond wedding band that gleamed in the bright sun. She couldn't help but wonder what he was doing right at that moment. Was he sleeping already? Did he eat dinner? Was he thinking about her?

She sighed softly and leaned her chin into the palm of her hand. The 13 hour time difference was definitely going to make things difficult to keep in contact. Like right now, Kyoko wanted nothing more than to call him, but was nervous that she might disturb his sleep. And considering he slept so little already, she didn't dare to disrupt a single minute of it.

So reluctantly, she placed her pink cell phone (which now read 10:34 am) back inside her purse and wrapped the earphones around her music player, putting the device into her coat pocket. Kyoko stretched her thin arms high above her head and smiled tenderly out the window.

Ever now, she couldn't believe that she actually took the job offer. Never in a million years did Kyoko think she would leave Japan on her own. Although fear was something she could definitely feel knocking at the back of her brain, she was also incredibly excited. Whenever she thought about her new career as a model and the numerous activities she was going to do, her desire to be back in Tokyo disappeared, if only for a fleeting moment.

Of course, it was highly inaccurate to say that she wanted to leave home, but as of right now, she didn't mind it as much as she did earlier. And just as that thought flitted across her mind, the plane suddenly dipped and the pilot's voice called over the intercom, "We're just about ready to land so please take your seats and fasten up your seat belts, and welcome to New York City."

* * *

><p>Casually stepping out of the dimly lit airport, Kyoko stared up at the crystal blue sky above as she pulled her luggage behind her. It was a beautiful day, undeniably crisp and clear. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. So as her eyes scanned the scenery before her, Kyoko knew in an instant that she was far from home. The streets were jam-packed with honking cars, impatient yellow cabs, and unfamiliar pedestrians, desperate to find their way out of the congested roads. The rumble from the gigantic city was like a constant flurry of noise, barely leaving any room for Kyoko to hear herself.<p>

At first, she was a little scared to step out of the safety of the New York airport. It was quite intimidating to join the hundreds of people passing by, all with a purpose and a place to be. But feeling her usual rigor bubble inside of her whenever she felt nervous, Kyoko firmly grasped her black luggage handle and pulled her way through the glass double doors, her lips pressed tightly together. However, she didn't get very far until she suddenly heard someone call loudly among the crowd, "Kyoko-san!"

Swiftly turning towards the oddly cheerful voice, Kyoko saw a young male waving frantically in her direction with a bright white sign in his other hand that had her name neatly printed in large bold, black letters. From the looks of his face, he looked no older than twenty years old. He was dressed in a casual grey suit and had spiky blond hair that clearly reminded her of someone, but Kyoko just couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then waving hesitantly in return at his ever gleeful face, she made her way towards him against the current, not noticing how his smile grew more and more pronounced as she got closer.

"I'm sorry we're parked so far," he apologized with a tiny bow of his head as he reached a hand for her luggage. "We would have gotten closer, but we didn't think there would be so many cabs today. But thankfully we found you! I don't know what I would have told Cindy if we didn't."

"Um," Kyoko began uncertainly as she watched him pull her luggage to the black limo parked alongside the road, "I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?"

The young man turned to her with wide eyes and asked, "Director Sutoyo didn't tell you, Kyoko-san?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I wasn't really told anything. He just said I would know what to do once I stepped off the plane."

He chuckled loudly and moved his head back and forth in disbelief, mumbling, "The nerve of that man. I'm sorry, Kyoko-san. I guess he wasn't very helpful when he told you about this job, was he? Let me start over."

Letting go of the suitcase and fully turning to face the confused actress, he stuck out a sturdy-looking hand and smiled brightly. "Hi, my name is Suzuki Touya and I'll be your assistant for the next three months."

"Assistant?" Kyoko asked in surprise as she automatically grasped his warm hand and gave it a shake. "I have an assistant?"

"Of course, Kyoko-san! Director Sutoyo wanted everything to be taken care of for you here in New York. That way, you'll have a more than easy transition. And that's where I come in: Suzuki Touya at your service."

Kyoko laughed lightly. "Well thank you for your help, Suzuki-san. But I really don't want to impose. You probably have much better things to do than sticking around with me."

He shook his head back and forth, replying in earnest, "Kyoko-san, you are in no way imposing. Believe me, you have no idea how excited I am that you're here. I've heard a lot about you and I can't wait to start working. And please, just call me Touya."

Touched by his outright sincerity and friendliness, Kyoko couldn't help but smile brightly back and say, "Well then, please take care of me, Touya. And please call me Kyoko as well."

"You're welcome…Kyoko," he said with slight hesitation as he realized that her deep amber eyes were staring right at him. Somehow, it felt like all the air was suddenly sucked out of his lungs.

Then quickly shaking his now somewhat clouded head, he popped the black trunk open and swiftly placed the suitcase inside. "We should probably get going, Kyoko. We still need to check you into the hotel and then brief you on your first few jobs this week."

Kyoko nodded obediently and followed suit as Touya opened the glossy limo door and gestured her to board first. He quickly followed in and sat beside her on the smooth leather seat. As soon as Kyoko was situated inside the vehicle, she couldn't believe her eyes.

The car was amazing. The limo could seat practically 15 people in the back (comfortably) and it even had a wine cooler, a mini fridge, a television set, as well as an expensive looking sound system. Kyoko couldn't hold back the sound of awe that escaped her lips as her eager eyes ran over the entire space.

"Impressed?" Touya asked with a chuckle as he softly closed the door behind him.

Kyoko nodded slowly. "I can't believe it's a car."

"Well then, I think you'll be happy to know that this will be your car from now on."

"WHAT?" she exclaimed loudly, turning to him alarm. "What do you mean my car?"

Touya grinned at her flustered response. "You're going to need to get from place to place, Kyoko, and walking certainly isn't an option. So Director Sutoyo set this up for you and that man in the front"—Touya looked forward and gestured to the driver who had turned around and smiled—"will be your personal driver."

Wearing a black cap and a formal suit, the somewhat elderly man smiled warmly and said, "Hello Mogami-san. My name is Martin and I'll be your chauffeur for the length of your stay."

"Chauffeur?" she repeated in shock.

He nodded.

"Oh wow," Kyoko stammered nervously, instinctively shaking her head in disagreement. "Now please don't misunderstand Martin-san, it's not like I don't think you're a good driver and all, but I really don't think this is necessary. To be honest, I feel somewhat uncomfortable with all of this."

"Kyoko, we want to help you," Touya explained patiently. "You shouldn't feel uncomfortable at all."

"But I—!"

"Mogami-san," Martin interrupted in a gentle tone, "if you don't mind my interrupting, but why don't you think of this as our job? In similar ways to you, Suzuki-san and I also have certain tasks to complete in the next three months. So how about helping us complete what we need to do? That way, you can get your stuff done, and we ours."

Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows. "Think of it as your job?"

Martin smiled in response, nodding his head. "We were hired to do this, miss. And it will make it a lot easier for us if you followed along."

And knowing full well what he was trying to do, Kyoko shook her head warily and let out a laugh, replying, "Thank you, Martin-san. And good try trying to make me feel better with all this."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's in the job description," Martin answered with a small, fatherly wink as he turned back to the front and smoothly began to maneuver the long stretch limo onto the busy street.

Touya smiled brightly. "Good, now that we got that settled, let's get you to the hotel," he piped in with a single clap of his hands. "The Mark Hotel please, Martin."

"Right away."

And without a proper excuse to refuse, Kyoko automatically turned her heard towards the tinted window and looked up at the countless skyscrapers, towering overhead and sparkling proudly in the sun. Billboards with motion pictures, glass windows colored with lights, and modern boutiques stood on every corner they turned. New York City practically glittered before her eyes. Kyoko had never felt more excited. Slowly, she pushed the button to roll down the window and was hit with a crisp wind, blowing through her hair. She shivered.

"It's a little chilly here than normal," Touya said as he leaned towards her to look outside the same window.

Kyoko turned towards him. "Because we're close to the ocean, right?"

He nodded.

"Then, New York City is a lot like home," she murmured gently with softened eyes.

Touya's eyes widen. The way her facial expression transformed was doing wonders on his already trembling heart. Touya couldn't believe that this was the same person he saw in the pictures. They did absolutely no justice for her whatsoever. Kyoko was just so much more beautiful in person.

"Do you miss Tokyo?" he asked in a voice that he hoped was steady.

Kyoko nodded and smiled, meeting his gaze. "There's no place like home, right?"

Touya laughed. "That's true," he answered, "but I think you'll enjoy New York. It's unlike anywhere else in the world. You'll meet all kinds of people here."

"Well if they're nice like you Touya, then I'm not too concerned."

He smiled widely at her compliment. "You know for a celebrity, you're really…different, Kyoko."

She raised an eyebrow, asking, "How so?"

Touya leaned back against the leather seat and replied in a thoughtful voice, "Well for one thing, I can tell you're incredibly humble. Almost a little too humble, I should add."

Laughing, she replied, "No one can be too humble."

"Well, you're awfully close."

Kyoko smiled. "You know, if you keep showering me with compliments like that, I won't be as humble anymore."

He chuckled and shook his head, realizing that she was even more amazing when she spoke. He was already getting drawn in by only her words and there didn't seem to be any way out.

"By the way Touya," she suddenly began with a curious tilt of her head, "how did you get the job of being an assistant anyway? Is there a program in the modeling industry or something?"

"Oh no," he answered with a quick wave of his hand. "I volunteered. In fact, I'm Director Sutoyo's nephew."

"You are?" Kyoko exclaimed in surprise. "I knew you looked somewhat familiar! You do look a lot like him now that I think about it."

Touya grimaced. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

"It's not a bad thing," Kyoko assured with a tiny giggle.

The corners of his lips turned upward at the sweet sound of her laugh. "Well if you say it isn't, then I guess it's alright," he answered.

But before Kyoko could respond, she suddenly felt the limo begin to slow down significantly and when she turned her attention outside the window once more she saw a large building standing to the side of her with the gold words "The Mark" written overhead.

"We're here," Martin called from the front.

"That was fast," Touya pointed out with a swivel of his head. He hadn't paid any attention to the roads outside at all. In fact, he noticed nothing except for the actress who was already opening the car door and stepping out of the vehicle.

When Kyoko glanced up at the looming structure, she knew that this hotel wasn't going to be a normal place to stay. From the golden arcs to the marbled floors, the Mark seemed to be more like a place fit for a queen than a regular tourist.

Touya stood beside her and whistled. "Wow, Cindy really went all out."

"Cindy?" Kyoko repeated in confusion. "You mentioned her before earlier too. Who is she?"

"I'll explain everything once you've settled in," Touya replied. "It'll all make sense when I have the papers in front of you."

Slightly confused, Kyoko reluctantly nodded and was about to get her stuff from the trunk when Martin gently placed a hand upon her arm. "I got it, Mogami-san. You should just go on in."

"It's okay, Martin-san. I'll just—"

He raised both eyebrows.

Kyoko fell silent and smiled sheepishly. "Your job, right?"

Martin nodded.

Then exhaling deeply, she murmured in a tired voice, "This is going to need some getting used to." And without another word of complaint, Kyoko obediently followed Touya into the fancy lobby.

Kyoko was right. The Mark was VERY extravagant. As soon as she stepped through the doors, she couldn't help but consider taking off her shoes, in fear of scratching up the shiny floor with her heels. Kyoko barely noticed the people walking past her. The scenery itself had completely monopolized her whole area was like a dream. Bathed in golden light with sculptures and art pieces everywhere, the hotel looked like it belonged in a movie.

When they approached the front desk, the service people smiled warmly in greeting as they handed Kyoko her key. Touya handled everything else while she stood beside him, listening patiently to their conversation. It was obvious that he knew what he was doing and she didn't want to step on any toes by butting in.

Once checked in, Touya led her to what appeared to be a private elevator and pushed the button for the highest floor. They passed by seventy floors before they got to the very top and stepped out into a dimly lit hall with lavish chandeliers and baubles hanging overhead. There were barely any rooms in this corridor. In fact, Kyoko noticed that when she had reached her room, there was only one other door. It seemed like her suite practically took up the whole floor.

"Your room," Touya said with a fancy wave of his hand as he slipped the cardkey into the slot.

He opened the mahogany double doors for her and stood off to the side as Kyoko slowly made her way in. She wasn't staying in a suite. She was staying in a CONDO. There were three bedrooms with white beds and silk sheets, a furnished kitchen and living room, a master bathroom with a tub and shower, a patio with a bubbling hot tub that overlooked the city, and a beautiful dining room.

She stumbled her way into the carpeted main room and dropped her purse onto the white couch. Kyoko turned around with eyes the size of baseballs to meet Touya's wide grin. "I'm staying here?" she mouthed.

He nodded with a chuckle. "For three months."

"Are you sure you have the right person?" Kyoko stammered in disbelief. "You all know I'm not of royal blood right?"

Touya laughed and closed the door behind him. "Maybe not, but you are certainly important."

Kyoko rolled her eyes at his comment and continued with her stroll through the suite, feeling more and more amazed with every step she took. She was definitely going to have a lot of fun exploring the place tonight. And once she made a full round and found her way back into the living room, Kyoko realized that Touya was already setting paperwork upon the glass table.

Instantly in work mode, she quickly sat herself down upon the long couch and picked up a pamphlet. It had the words CHIC written in silver cursive and when opened, displayed many pictures of different lines of clothing and models.

"That will be you in a couple of days," Touya pointed out as he scooted beside her.

"Really?" she asked, excitement clearly coloring her voice.

He nodded and picked up one of the binders. "You should look through these and see what you're interested in. If you like photo shoots more than modeling, you can focus more on that area. Or if you like being on the runway, then that certainly can be an option too. In fact, you can do anything you like."

"It's all up to me?" Kyoko asked doubtfully as she took the binder out of his hands and flipped through the laminated pages. "Don't I have specific tasks to do?"

"To be honest, Cindy is so grateful that you're here, that she's willing to let you dictate what you want to do."

"And are you going to tell me about Cindy now?" Kyoko asked with an arched eyebrow, closing the binder and holding it her lap.

"Oh right!" he said with a snap of his fingers. "Sorry about that. Cindy Johansson is the vice-president of CHIC. She basically deals with anything fashion related that happens within the company. The head president works with the technical stuff while she figures out the style so to speak. You'll be meeting her tomorrow."

"She sounds really…important," Kyoko murmured nervously.

Touya shook his head, replying, "Don't worry. She's very sweet. Once you meet her, you'll see what I mean. Besides, she wanted to meet you ever since Director Sutoyo showed her all your pictures."

"What pictures?"

"From your premieres, talk shows, dramas, and movies," Touya said casually as he counted each of them off of his fingers. "Just a whole bunch of them. Cindy instantly knew you were perfect for the job."

Kyoko didn't know what to say. She was so flattered that she was practically rendered speechless. For someone to have such a strong interest in her made her both scared and excited. Excited to be working with someone who was so enthusiastic, but also fearful that she might not meet her expectations. Kyoko's stomach churned uncomfortably.

"_Maybe __I__'__m __more __nervous,__"_ she thought with shaky hands.

"I didn't help, did I?" Touya asked with worry ridden eyes when he noticed her frantic expression.

She smiled weakly. "At least you tried."

"Well if it helps, Cindy is really close to your age. She's only twenty two."

Kyoko turned to him in surprise. "Wow, that's so young."

Touya nodded. "Exactly, so it should be easy for you to relate to her. Besides, you guys will have a lot to talk about. I think she's been recently watching some of the dramas you've starred in."

Kyoko laughed shakily, murmuring, "Great, I certainly can't disappoint her now."

"Maybe I should just stop talking altogether," Touya mumbled with a guilty smile. "I'm not really helping with your nerves, am I?"

"I'm kidding," she said with a casual touch of his wrist. "I was already nervous before. You didn't make it any worse."

Touya could only force a smile in return, unable to mutter a single sound as his skin tingled from where she touched him. It was ridiculous how he reacted so much to her every move, but it was almost as if he had no self control.

He averted his flustered gaze. _"__She__'__s __definitely __something __I __probably __need __to __get __used __to __as __well,__"_ Touya thought silently.

Then to his great displeasure, a quiet knock suddenly sounded upon the wooden doors and a male voice called from the other side, "Your luggage, Mogami-san."

Kyoko jumped up and quickly opened the door to see a young bellboy with a gleeful grin upon his face. She smiled in return, thanked him for his service, and gave him a big, hearty tip. Kyoko then lugged the suitcase beside the couch and stood it beside her purse that was now lying upon the seat.

"Well, I should probably go and let you unpack," Touya offered unwillingly as he stood up. It was after all protocol to give people some privacy, especially when they just arrived.

"Thank you for all your help, Touya. I don't know what I would do without you," Kyoko said with a grateful bow of her head.

He brushed her compliment away, replying, "No worries, Kyoko. I'll be here whenever you need me."

She smiled and walked him to the front door. "So I'll see you…?"

"Actually, there's going to be a tiny dinner later downstairs," Touya slowly began in a hopeful tone, praying that his eagerness was kept to a minimum. "You can meet some people in CHIC, like the models and photographers there if you go. Unless you're tired of course, then you don't have to."

Kyoko shook her head vigorously, replying in an earnest voice, "No, no! I would love to go."

He grinned widely. "Great! Then I'll be here at around five o'clock," Touya said.

"Five o'clock," she repeated with a firm nod of her head.

Then with one last smile and an extra warm farewell, he slowly made his way outside the double doors and left Kyoko alone in the giant suite. Once she closed the door behind him and latched the golden lock into place, she turned around and stared in wonder at the large space in front of her. It was definitely a lot of room for one girl, especially a girl with only one large suitcase. She had no idea where to start. Then very silently, she walked towards the large glass window and opened up the blinds to let in some sunlight, bathing the room in a hazy glow.

And just as she was about to turn away and unpack, a silver plane suddenly flew by, pulling her thoughts away from New York and back to home. As soon as his face entered her mind, Kyoko could feel the need from earlier bubbling up again, making her will not to call him weaker and weaker with each passing second. Then with her restraint long gone, she excitedly ran back towards the long couch and grabbed her cell phone from out of her large purse, flipping the slender pink device open.

She just couldn't wait anymore.

So swiftly pushing the speed dial button for his number, Kyoko patiently listened to the steady ringing on the other end as she drummed her pale fingers upon the white armrest, leaning her head against the couch. And on the second ring, Kyoko's heart swelled with instant relief as a deep and familiar voice answered in the most loving tone, "There you are."


	6. Chapter 6: On His Own

Hi everyone! I'm so INCREDIBLY sorry for the VERY late update. Things have been getting really out of hand lately and I have finals coming up as well. But thankfully, I was able to get this written before the hardcore studying begins. Hehe. Anyway, I just want to thank you VERY MUCH for your patience and hope you like this chapter. Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>Ren leisurely crossed his long legs and leaned back against the leather couch as he casually scanned his eyes over a magazine article in his hands. He had been waiting in the dressing room for about 15 minutes now and had nothing better to do than read as he waited for his manager. And just as he was about to put the magazine down disinterestedly, his expression suddenly lit up like stars when he read that a familiar drama show was chosen as this year's fan-favorite.<p>

Ren smiled widely. He couldn't be more proud of her. She and her drama, TOUCH, were gaining success like nobody's business.

And just as her sweet face crossed his mind, his shoulders slumped just a tiny bit as he realized that it had been over a week since the last time he saw her, even though it really felt like years. It was definitely hard living at home by himself, especially when the strange feeling of waking up alone resurfaced every morning. But after some time and a dose of good-hard effort, Ren was finally beginning to adjust to the mode of living like a bachelor again. The feeling of missing his beloved wife, however, was constant. There was certainly no relief for that.

Suddenly, a small chuckle quietly escaped his lips as he absent-mindedly flipped to another page, remembering her playful text the other morning that said: "if it makes you feel better, I wake up to the noise of honking cars every day." Ren shook his head warily. It was very much like her to be so concerned about him, no matter how trivial the matter. Kyoko was too caring for her own good.

And finally reaching the last page of the thin magazine, Ren placed the catalog back upon the wooden table and uncrossed his legs. He glanced up at the clock and saw that it was already 3:23. Then with a tiny groan, Ren got to his feet and was about to walk towards the door when he heard a small knock upon the wooden surface.

"Come in."

It opened just a crack to reveal Yashiro's curious face. "Ready to go?" he asked.

Ren smiled and nodded. "She arrived?"

"Yes, she's sitting in the recording room right now actually. And we should hurry, Ren. The radio show starts in about five minutes."

Buttoning up his black suit jacket once more, Ren obediently followed Yashiro into the brightly lit hall and boarded the silver elevator at the very end of the corridor. His manager swiftly pushed the button for the 12th floor and as soon as the two doors closed, whipped out the small book that held all of the actor's daily appointments.

"Alright Ren," he began in a very business-like tone, "the interview should take no more than thirty minutes, but just in case, I gave you another half hour to make sure we won't be late. After this though, we need to rush to the cinema for the autograph signing and if we're on time, we can even stop by LME later to pick up your script for your next movie."

Ren nodded and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "And we also have the dinner with the entire cast tonight, right?"

"Yes, and it starts at 8:30 sharp," Yashiro answered, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "We certainly can't be late to that either. You are the main character of the movie after all."

"So it looks like I won't get home until later tonight," Ren murmured in a quiet voice.

Yashiro smiled sheepishly at his friend's disappointed expression. "I'm sure Kyoko-chan will understand. She knows how busy you are," he reassured as a friend.

Ren straightened up with a sigh. "You're probably right."

His manager then glanced down at his black watch just as the metallic doors slid open. And leading an obviously still-saddened Ren towards the recording room, he called over his shoulder, "Okay, you should be going live in three minutes. Remember to keep any information about the movie to a minimum and be as vague as you possibly can. I'll be right down the hall if you need anything."

Ren nodded. "Thank you, Yashiro."

Grasping the silver handle before him, he quietly swung the door open and saw the radio host, Riku, sitting beside the glass window. Sitting across from him was his female co-star Okamoto Yukari who wore a white slim dress and had her long brown hair pinned up into curls. Ren flashed a friendly smile at both individuals and bowed his head low in apology. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ren!" Yukari exclaimed with a vigorous shake of her head as she got to her feet, her white heels clicking against the vinyl floor. Quickly approaching him and grasping his one hand between both of hers, she replied in earnest, "I'm the one who was late! I should be apologizing."

He chuckled at her guilty expression. "Well, I guess we're both at fault then."

She smiled gratefully, feeling her heart flutter like wings the longer she stared at him.

Then after letting go of her hand and carefully making his way around the equipment, Ren walked towards the chair from across the host and asked, "How are you, Riku?"

"Not too bad," he answered with a firm shake of the actor's hand. "Work is the same as always. But I did get the chance to interview Director Ogata last week for the show. Were you able to catch the broadcast?"

Ren nodded. "His latest movie has certainly gotten a lot of publicity."

"True, but not nearly as much of yours," Riku countered with a smile.

"Well, what do you expect, Riku-kun?" Yukari asked, returning to her seat beside Ren's. "This is the number one actor of Japan we're talking about."

Ren disagreed with a shake of his head, replying, "As always Yukari-san, you give me too much credit."

But before she could respond, Riku had already grabbed the black headphones from off the table and said, "Looks like the red light is flashing you two, so we should probably hurry and get on the air."

Nodding, Ren and Yukari followed suit and put on their own circular headphones as the host flipped the switch and said enthusiastically into the large microphone before him, "Go-o-o-o-o-o-d evening, Tokyo City! You are now on with Sato Riku on channel 102.5, your only station to get you the news you actually care about. And here we have with us today are none other than Tsuruga Ren and Okamoto Yukari, the big stars of the soon-to-be-released movie FUGITIVE, scheduled to hit theaters in two weeks. So how are you guys?"

"Tired," Yukari said with a sigh.

"And busy."

Riku chuckled. "I bet. It seems like you guys have been traveling all over the country non-stop to promote the film."

Nodding, she replied, "It certainly feels like it."

"But at the same time, we're grateful," Ren added with a kind smile. "The fact that people are taking an interest means a lot to us."

"Well, fans have been anticipating this film ever since Director Hanata revealed who he chose as his two lead actors. In fact, tickets for the midnight showing for the movie are now completely sold out. What do you think about that?" Riku asked with arched eyebrows.

"Like Ren said earlier, we're both very grateful for the support from our fans. Without them, we definitely couldn't have gotten to where we are today," Yukari said.

Riku clicked his tongue in agreement. "Now tell us, Yukari-chan. What's it like working with Ren-san? Or as some people like to call him, the Co-Star Killer?"

"That sounds horrible," Ren commented with a grimace.

Giggling, she corrected in a teasing voice, "Well maybe the word 'killer' is a little much, but Ren was certainly a motivation to work harder."

"Were you intimidated the first time you met him?" Riku asked.

"To be honest, I was TERRIFIED," Yukari admitted with a wave of her hand.

"Terrified?" Ren repeated in surprise. "Why was that?"

Riku chuckled at the actor's dumbstruck expression. "Now you know why we call you 'killer,' Ren-san."

"No! No!" Yukari jumped in frantically. "I wasn't necessarily scared OF him! I was just afraid of not meeting his expectations. I'm sure you would agree with me, Riku-kun that those who work with Ren have to be of high caliber, right?"

"True," Riku said thoughtfully with a nod of his head. "We wouldn't expect anything less."

"But I'm sure I have the same expectations as every other actor," Ren jumped in with a frown. "What makes working with me any different?"

Yukari shook her head with a small smile. "You set the bar up pretty high, Ren."

"So was he everything you expected him to be then?" Riku asked curiously.

"No, he was certainly MUCH more."

Leaning back, she continued in a somewhat awed voice, "Not only was he incredibly professional, but whenever Ren took up his character Takeshi, I sometimes completely forgot who he was. Time after time, whether I was myself or playing as Atsuko, he never once reverted back to himself while we were on set. Only when the director called cut did you see the true actor. Ren was definitely a wonder to behold."

Riku nodded attentively and then turned to the humbled actor, asking, "Now Ren-san, the character Takeshi is an escaped prisoner in this movie, correct?"

He nodded, replying, "Yes, he's a convict that was wrongly accused for a murder he did not commit."

"So was it hard for you to play such a violent character, considering he's such a polar opposite of you?"

Ren couldn't hold back the small smile by the corner of his lips as soon as the words were said. The sheer irony of Riku's comment was just too much of a coincidence.

But instantly brushing his smile away in fear of having to explain himself, Ren managed to answer in a stable voice, "Well, I certainly had to put a lot of thought in how I wanted to portray him. Takeshi is one of the more complicated characters I have ever played because his rage was never exposed upon the surface. He kept it all under control, so it was difficult to exhibit his frustration without blatantly revealing them."

Riku made a responsive noise and nodded, replying, "Well, he sounds pretty complex. Now, Takeshi, after escaping prison, meets a young girl named Oyahashi Atsuko, the character that you play, Yukari-san. What did you think of her?"

Yukari cupped her hand behind her neck and replied, "I actually loved playing her. Her ferocity and strength are incredibly moving. And she's quite a refreshing character as well. I think most people naturally label women as damsels in distresses and in this kind of situation when you have a man like Takeshi meet her head on, people would assume Atsuko to be afraid and weak, but she was nothing of the sort. She was more than willing to rise to the occasion and I truly admire that kind of personality."

"Would you say you and Atsuko are alike?" Riku asked curiously.

Smiling, Yukari answered, "I would hope so, but I definitely can't say for certain."

"What do you think, Ren-san?"

The corners of the actor's lips turned upward as he replied kindly, "I think she is."

She turned her head towards his voice with clearly brightened eyes and asked in a surprised tone, "What makes you say that, Ren?"

"After working with you for a couple of weeks," he explained, "I can tell you're very serious about your work and I believe it takes an actress with clear strength to hold herself to such expectations. Thus, I don't think you're weak at all."

Yukari smiled playfully and touched his hand upon the table with her fingertips, murmuring, "Now you're just flattering me."

Riku laughed. "I guess Ren-san isn't as scary as we all thought," he teased. "Now, of course, FUGITIVE isn't only action-packed, but from what I'm aware of there are bits of romance thrown in throughout the film as well."

He suddenly grinned. "So how was THAT?"

Ren and Yukari turned to each other, instantly laughing as they caught the other's expression.

"Ladies first," Ren offered with a gesture of his hand.

"Oh no," Yukari refused, "that one is all yours."

Chuckling, Ren answered in a calm voice, "It wasn't hard if that's what you're implying, Riku. There weren't any problems from what I can remember. While we were filming, I truly believed Yukari-san was Atsuko, a woman I treasured in the movie; therefore, I would hope that the on-scene romance flowed quite well."

"And you, Yukari-chan?"

Yukari shook her head, leaning her chin into the palm of her hand. "Unfortunately, it was a tad bit harder for me. I won't deny that I slipped every now and then. After all, this is Ren we're talking about."

Riku laughed loudly. "I'm sure that made things difficult, right Yukari-chan?"

"Very much," Yukari agreed with a tiny wink. "It was hard to reign myself back sometimes."

Ren shook his head with a laugh, as Riku said, "The name 'killer' is becoming more and more appropriate, isn't it, Ren-san? But while we're on the subject of love, I don't think anyone's life has changed nearly as much as yours in this past year. So I'm sure everyone would like to know: how's the married life treating you?"

The actor's brown eyes softened significantly, his fingers touching the silver wedding band, as he murmured tenderly, "I've never been happier."

Yukari's eyes widen in shock. The tone of his voice was completely unexpected. It was so sweet—practically _too_ sweet.

"Then, everything with you and Kyoko-san has been going very strong?" Riku asked with a smile.

Ren nodded.

"So should we expect little Ren-san's and Kyoko-san's running around the city soon?" he teased.

Chuckling and shaking his head, the actor replied in an unaffected voice, "Probably not too soon."

"Oh come on now, Ren-san," Riku began, moving his head from side to side in disbelief, "everyone can see how in love you two are. And now you're both married. I doubt you guys haven't…_you __know_."

And just as she swallowed that tiny sip of water from her mug, Yukari suddenly resurfaced with a huge coughing fit, Riku's words filling every part of her mind. She practically wanted to gag.

Ren quickly turned to his coughing co-star and patted her back a few times in worry as Riku asked in alarm, "Are you alright there, Yukari-chan?"

She nodded and smiled stiffly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sorry, I guess I was drinking a little too fast there. But anyway, Riku-kun, isn't that question a little—_personal_? I don't think Ren would want to answer that on a live broadcast," she laughed nervously.

He chuckled, brushing her concern away with a single wave of his hand. "Well, it's a valid question, Yukari-chan. Besides, the importance of privacy would work for any other couple beside Ren-san's and Kyoko-san's relationship, which—I should note—was public even before it started. You do remember the famous interview of JTUV four years ago, right?"

Ren carefully averted his gaze, hoping to conceal the sheer embarrassment that was surely displayed upon his face. Whenever anyone brought up that day, he could never seem to react normally to it. After all, it was the one moment when he broke his carefully composed mask to not only the love of his life, but also the entire wide world. It was the craziest thing he ever did on a whim.

But while Ren kept his focus on anything besides Riku's gleeful face, he didn't seem to notice at all how different Yukari suddenly looked as she mumbled in response, "Who could forget…"

"So come on now, Ren-san," Riku tried again, turning to the cool actor in hopes of getting more than just a generic answer. "Be a little honest here. You and Kyoko-san are always so polite and reserved on the surface that it's almost impossible to think that that is how it _really_is between you two. Let us have just a tiny glimpse into your real personalities."

Ren smiled warily. It was exactly the same in every interview. No matter how much time had passed, everyone still had such an intense interest about their love life. And Riku was certainly right about the fact that no one was afraid to inquire the "intimate questions" at all. People were as forward as ever.

But ever since the start of their relationship, both Kyoko and Ren agreed that hiding _everything_ wasn't going to alleviate the problem. After all, the tabloids would publish any story they could dig up, whether it was false or true. So they figured that the less running and hiding they did, the more the paparazzi wouldn't try so hard to pry. As long as they kept the details to a minimum, the couple didn't see much harm in delving a little into their lives.

So turning back to Riku, Ren answered slowly,

"To put it simply, let's just say…"

He suddenly broke out into an innocent smile.

"...I don't sleep too often with her around."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Riku slammed his hand repeatedly upon the table top like a mad man with one arm wrapped around his trembling torso while Yukari quickly turned to face the window, concealing her now beet red face. She couldn't stop the blush even if she tried. His comment had completely caught her off guard.

Wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes from laughing so hard, Riku said breathlessly into the microphone, "_Oh__god,__that__'__s__too__good_! So is this whole aloof thing a façade, Ren-san? You guys are actually pretty crazy, aren't you?"

Ren chuckled and shook his head. "Obviously Riku, you took that statement in the most inappropriate way possible. I wasn't implying anything of the sort."

"Right," he answered sarcastically, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm sure you didn't. But now that you mentioned it Ren-san, I figure you must be getting plenty of rest these past few nights since it's been rumored that Kyoko-san isn't currently in the country anymore."

Yukari turned to Ren in alarm. "She's not?" she repeated.

He met her shocked expression and nodded, answering in a composed tone, "Yes, Kyoko is unfortunately out of town on a business trip of her own."

"And can I take it from your vagueness that her location is a secret?" Riku pressed with a raised eyebrow.

The actor laughed sincerely and shook his head. "Not a secret, but I feel it's improper to disclose parts of her life that doesn't concern me."

"Actually, I think you have a pretty good point there," Riku commented thoughtfully as he leaned forward. "Everyone should have a sense of privacy of their own. It's highly unnecessary to completely immerse every part of yourself into each other even if you are in a relationship. The personal differences provide a good sense of individuality, I think."

Ren smiled. "I agree completely."

"Me too!" Yukari added, unable to keep quiet in fear that she was already fading from the conversation.

But right on cue, before anyone could add anything else, chimes started to play in the background, alerting Riku for the end of the broadcast.

The host then routinely clapped his hands together and said directly into his microphone, "Well, I guess that's all the time we have for today, folks. Now remember that FUGITIVE hits all theaters in two weeks so get yourselves out there as soon as you can. I'm sure it won't disappoint. And of course, I want to give a big thanks to both Tsuruga Ren and Okamoto Yukari for stopping by today."

"Not at all," Ren replied with a bow of his head.

Yukari forced a smile and added, "It was my pleasure."

"Well, I hope you both come back to the show soon and wish you success with all of your future plans."

* * *

><p>"Ren!"<p>

He turned around curiously at the sound of his name and saw Yukari swiftly walking up to him from out of the elevator, waving cheerfully in greeting. He naturally smiled back and stopped a few feet short from the front door.

"Hello Yukari-san. I'm surprised you didn't leave already."

She shook her head. "Not yet, I had some things to do."

Then with a sheepish smile, Yukari suddenly added, "By the way Ren, I just want to say I'm sorry for not being so much of a help in there."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "With what?" he asked in confusion.

"During the interview. If I was able to steer the conversation away better, you wouldn't have to force yourself to answer Riku's prying question, let alone make such a misleading comment on the air."

Ren laughed in understanding and shook his head, replying, "It wasn't bad at all, Yukari-san. I'm used to it by now and besides, sharing never really hurt anyone. But thank you for your concern."

Noticing immediately how he shot her "misleading" accusation down, Yukari laughed awkwardly and said, "Well, I'm glad things with you and Kyoko are working out so well."

"Thank you, I am too."

"It's just too bad she isn't here this month though. It's the premiere of your movie and she can't walk with you down the red carpet? She truly has the worst of luck."

Ren smiled and shook his head. "Actually, I think it's more unlucky for me than for her. If I had the choice, I would rather fly to where she is than bring her back for the premiere," he replied sincerely.

"But considering she's not here," Yukari tried again, this time placing a hand upon his upper arm, "what do you say about us arriving together?"

"Together?" Ren repeated confusedly. "I thought the cast was going to come as a group. Wouldn't we be arriving together already?"

Yukari laughed with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "Well yes, of course we are. But what I mean is for you and me to go…as a couple."

He fell silent.

"JUST FOR THE MOVIE, OF COURSE!" Yukari exclaimed in sudden panic at the lack of a response. "I mean, I won't be having a date either so we might as well enjoy each other's company, right? It might even promote the film more!"

Yukari couldn't stop herself from reacting with outright anxiety. The fact that he only stared at her made her so nervous that she thought her legs were going to give out in any second.

After recovering from her odd comment and considering his choices, Ren flashed another polite smile and replied, "I see. Well, as long as you don't mind sitting beside someone with restless legs all night, I think that should be fine."

Yukari smiled gratefully. "Great! I'm so glad you agree, Ren! Well now that that's settled, I better let you get on to your appointment. I wouldn't want you to be late because of me!"

He laughed and nodded. "Thank you, Yukari-san. I'll see you at the dinner tonight then."

"Tonight!" she repeated happily, touching his arm one last time before sauntering in the other direction.

Ren watched her leave for a split second, his eyebrows furrowed with slight concern. But deciding to dismiss those thoughts for now, he eventually made his way out the doors and toward his silver car that was already parked in front by the valet. Yashiro was waiting patiently beside the passenger door, scribbling away in the appointment book.

"Are we behind schedule?" Ren called from a few feet away.

Yashiro raised his head and, after seeing who it was, jokingly narrowed his eyes. "If you're so concerned about being late, you would have gotten out of there faster."

Ren smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Yukari-san just wanted to ask me something."

"Did she?" Yashiro asked, his tone rising in suspicion at the sound of the actress's name as he arched his eyebrows. "What was it this time?"

Rolling his eyes at the tone of his manager's voice and unlocking both doors, Ren replied tiredly, "You're still on that? I told you she's just being nice."

"Right, and the fact that she calls you 'Ren' without a surname around everyone doesn't mean she's trying to make a point," Yashiro retorted as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Ren chuckled. "That seems sort of far-fetched, doesn't it?" he asked, turning the key in the ignition and driving the car onto the open road.

"Ren, this is serious," Yashiro answered with a frown. "You really need to set her straight."

"She's aware I'm married, Yashiro. Besides, you make it sound as if I haven't dealt with these kinds of situations or with these types of women before."

Yashiro moved his head from side to side. "But this time you're married, Ren."

His eyes quickly darted to Yashiro's stern-looking face and back to the winding road in puzzlement. "What do you mean by that?" he asked in surprise.

"I'm just saying that this doesn't only concern you anymore."

Ren blinked a few times before murmuring, "Are you referring to Kyoko? Why is she involved in this?"

"She's not, but just don't forget to put her feelings into consideration as well."

Sighing and knowing full well where Yashiro was probably going with this, he said in a weary voice, "Kyoko isn't like that, Yashiro. She wouldn't be bothered by this."

He raised his hands in the air in surrender, advising full-heartedly, "All I'm saying is that a woman's heart is very complex, Ren."

"And you know this because?"

His manager glared. "I do pride myself in the fact that I'm more perceptive than you are, Ren, not to mention both older and wiser."

"Older yes, perceptive maybe, but wiser? That's certainly debatable," Ren countered with a grin.

Yashiro's eyes narrowed, a small and unwilling smile forming at the corner of his lips. But then with a quiet sigh, he said in a more serious tone, "Look, just be careful, alright? With Kyoko-chan gone, the reporters are going to be on your back even more, Ren. I don't want any trouble for you."

The actor nodded obediently as he realized that his manager had a point. A husband without his wife around was certainly an exploitative story waiting to happen in the tabloid world. So with a deep exhale, Ren said in defeat, "Alright Yashiro, I'll make my position clearer to her then. But I should probably mention that we're going to go to the red carpet together for the premiere."

"SEE WHAT I MEAN?" Yashiro exclaimed angrily, unable to hide his irritation. "This is exactly what I feared! The reporters are going to go crazy!"

"Yashiro, it's only for the movie," Ren replied in a calm voice, expecting this response already. "Besides, isn't it normal for co-stars to arrive together?"

"Is that what she told you?" he grumbled, obviously unconvinced.

"No," Ren answered sharply. "It's what I think and you should agree as well."

He rolled his eyes.

Then noticing his friend's doubtful and annoyed expression, Ren smiled and said in the most reassuring voice possible, "Yashiro, I appreciate the concern. I truly do, but I know what I'm doing. Just trust me. Have I ever really gone wrong before?"

Yashiro glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

Ren breathed out heavily. "In _this_ kind of situation?" he emphasized.

He let out a sigh, murmuring, "No…not yet."

Ren chuckled. "Then let me deal with it before you start swooping in, alright?"

But before Yashiro could provide any kind of response, his phone suddenly let out a single trill, alerting him that he had just received a text message. Curious as to who was the sender, he routinely put on his rubber glove and pulled the small device from out of his front pocket. One quick glance at the screen told him the caller was Kyoko.

"Ren, is your phone off?" Yashiro asked, flipping the device open.

"Yes, I turned it off for the broadcast. Why?"

"It's Kyoko-chan. She just sent me a text."

Yashiro's eyebrows suddenly furrowed.

"What?" Ren asked with a quick turn of his head at his manager's silence. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I just don't really get it," he admitted slowly. "I have no idea what she's talking about."

"Why? What does it say?"

Yashiro raised his eyes to meet his friend's puzzled expression.

"What does, _'__Tell __Ren, __I__'__ll __be __sure __to __give __him __more __sleep __when __I __get __back,__'_ mean?"


	7. Chapter 7: Threatened

Happy holidays everyone! Hope you guys are having a ton of fun and sharing lots of laughs. But in the midst of so much excitement, I was able to write up the next installment. Once again, thank you for all the reviews and feedback. I'm so excited that you all like where this is going. Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

**Edit: I'm so sorry everyone. I completely mixed up the names for Kyoko's assistant. It should be Touya, not Riku. I'm a little embarrassed I did this actually, but I promise to keep the names accurate next time. So sorry for the mistake! Thanks again!**

* * *

><p>"Chin a little higher, Kyoko...that's it."<p>

CLICK!

"MORE LIGHT!"

"Take the wind down a notch!"

CLICK!

"Alright, now avert your eyes…and _stop_."

CLICK!

"Can you move your right hand just a bit, Kyoko? Great! Right there! And look at me…"

CLICK!

CLICK!

CLICK!

"Last shot…"

CLICK!

"Great! Alright, I think that'll be it for the day."

And on that cue, Kyoko took in a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders as she removed her back from the hard brick wall. People were already storming the bright set, removing the white lights and turning off the massive fan from the side. Wanting to move out of their way, Kyoko carefully walked around the equipment and made her way towards the photographer, David, as he said happily at her approach, "Good job, Kyoko."

"You too, David-san," she said with a polite smile, bowing her head low in gratitude. "Do you have enough shots?"

He nodded and gestured for her to follow him towards the computer near the large, black camera. Clicking the button of the mouse, he opened up the photos and showed her all of the pictures that were taken. Kyoko instinctively leaned in, awed by the different images that shifted across the screen.

Dressed in a long trench coat, a black knitted dress, and tall knee-length leather boots, Kyoko was practically the epitome of hard-rock style as she was captured pressed against a red wall, her eyes smoldering like two amber flames. Both hands were elegantly raised over her head, her lips slightly pursed, and her smooth hair was straightened off to the side, eliciting a sense of both mystery and danger.

"See this?" David asked as he pointed to her hazy eyes on the glowing monitor. "That's exactly what I was going for—a sultry look that will have men gawking effortlessly."

Kyoko blushed like a beet, unfamiliar with such a forward compliment.

And noticing the change in color of her cheeks, David chuckled amusedly and said, "You should flaunt your beauty more often, Kyoko. It will be such a shame to hide it all."

"I think I flaunt it just enough, David-san," she disagreed with a shake of her head. "Any more and I think I'll become a monster."

He smiled. "Are you not happy with how the pictures turned out?"

"Oh no!" Kyoko answered in earnest, waving her hands back and forth. "I think they're fine! It's just a little different to see myself like this. I'm not used to looking so…serious."

"Well, for tomorrow's shoot, you can crack a few more smiles. It will be the swimwear edition so you should have more leeway with how you want to look."

She nodded. "Sounds great. So will that be all for today then, David-san?"

"That's it, but don't forget that we're all going out for drinks later tonight. You will stop by right?"

Kyoko smiled reluctantly. "I'm not exactly sure."

"We're not taking no for an answer," a female voice said sternly from behind.

Kyoko and David swiftly turned around and saw a tall, slim woman with jet black hair stroll towards them, her arms firmly crossed over chest. Her hazel eyes were as large as marbles and her lips were a light shade of pink which were already curved into a firm frown. She was a model just like Kyoko, but the way she carried herself made it apparent that she was no novice in the industry. Her stance was more than enough for anyone to see that she wasn't someone to mess with.

"Hello there, Emi," David greeted with a grin. "Finally got out of the dressing room I see."

She scoffed. "You know how much I hate standing around, David. I might as well make myself comfortable while the others finish up their shoot. It's a complete waste of time out here. And by the way Kyoko, you ARE coming tonight, whether you like it or not."

"But Emi-san," Kyoko began in a pleading voice, "I have other plans. I don't think I can—!"

"You make it sound as if I care," Emi cut in coldly. "Cancel them."

David laughed as Kyoko sighed heavily in defeat. He knew better than anyone that once Emi was involved, there was no way she would lose. "You never take no for an answer, do you, Emi?" he asked, smiling broadly.

She winked. "Now you're catching on," she answered as she flipped her silky hair over her shoulder.

"Well, I better let you two figure this one out," David offered with a bright smile when he saw Kyoko's rising retaliation. "I have to get the pictures ready for the editor by tomorrow anyway. So hopefully I'll see you both tonight!"

And with one last chuckle and friendly wave, the photographer walked away, leaving the two models on their own. Kyoko nervously turned back to her senior who was still giving her that look that made her feel like she was being scolded. Emi was known for her cold stare. It practically chilled like ice.

"Emi-san," Kyoko began nervously, "I haven't spent a night by myself in such a long time and I truly just want some time alone."

"Fair enough. You can have all the alone time you need…after the club."

And just as Kyoko was about to open her mouth, a sweeter voice suddenly answered from behind, "It's no use, Kyoko. Emi always wins."

With a figure built like a fairy and a bubbly personality to match, Ami, another familiar model of the company, came up from behind and smiled widely. Walking alongside her was their good friend Yui, a statuesque model with dark ruby hair and was well-known for being rather quiet and reserved.

So giggling in amusement at Kyoko's weary expression, Ami advised, "You might as well come and enjoy yourself."

"Listen to Ami," Emi said with a sniff, wrapping her arm around her tiny friend's shoulder. "She knows what she's talking about."

Kyoko closed her eyes tiredly. Peer pressure was much harder to fight than she thought, especially with girls as stubborn as these.

But even though they were certainly hard to handle at times, over the past several days Kyoko had developed quite a special friendship with all three of them. Despite their forwardness and sometimes intimidating exterior, they gracefully accepted her with open arms and made her feel as if they had known each other for a very long time.

So weakly turning to her silent friend, Kyoko asked in surrender, "Yui-san, are you going?"

She cracked a small smile and nodded. "They wore me down too."

"And where are we going?" a male voice suddenly asked.

Touya casually approached Kyoko and the group from behind, a curious expression displayed upon his boyish face. Holding a cool bottle of mineral water in one hand and the planner in the other, he routinely made his way beside Kyoko and handed her the beverage.

"A club," Emi answered in response to his question. "I assume you're coming as well?"

Touya shrugged. "As long as Kyoko is, yeah, I'll be there."

"You don't have to do that, Touya," Kyoko said with a shake of her head. "You're probably really tired with everything you did these last few days. I know I haven't made your life as an assistant easier in the slightest."

"Ooh la-la, has Kyoko been keeping you up all night, Touya-kun?" Ami asked with a devilish smirk. "Have you been losing sleep as well?"

Touya's face flushed scarlet red as Emi broke out into a laugh. Even Yui couldn't hold back the smile at the corner of her lips. And on the verge of a full-fledged heart attack, Kyoko shouted in panic, "I DID NOTHING OF THE SORT!"

"Oh relax Kyoko," Emi said through a wide grin. "We understand. You are married to Japan's most handsome man after all."

Touya sighed heavily. "Girls, isn't this joke getting old? It's been four days already."

"Ooooh, somebody's getting a tiny bit touchy," Ami teased, wagging her finger in disapproval.

"I'm not touchy! I'm just looking out for Kyoko! You guys are always giving her a hard time."

"It's called teasing, Touya-kun," Ami corrected with a flick of her hand. "Ever heard of it? Besides, Kyoko knows we're kidding, right?"

The young actress smiled warily and nodded. She had gotten used to this verbal abuse ever since that interview aired. And now that people have gotten the chance to know her, nobody in the company would pass up the chance to poke fun—especially when it came to something like this. It was practically their favorite past time. Of course, Kyoko tried many times to tell people that he was just joking around, but everything she said was in vain. It was obvious that they enjoyed knowing the fact that Kyoko was a little "crazier" than they thought.

Touya shook his head. "Just cut her some slack. She already said it wasn't true."

Emi laughed loudly, replying, "Well of course she would. What kind of wife would admit it? Sorry, but I have all my money bet on Tsuruga-san."

"And speaking of Tsuruga-san, have you called him yet, Kyoko?" Ami asked, nudging her lightly in the shoulder. "It's already past four."

Blushing, Kyoko gave a tiny nod and replied, "I did, but he didn't pick up his phone. He's probably in another interview."

"With that Okamato chick?" Emi asked with a glare.

Ami broke out into a giggle. "Sounds like someone harbors ill feelings towards her."

"No, it's not '_sounds __like_.' I really do," she replied coldly.

Then moving her head from side to side, Emi admitted in a somewhat awed voice, "Seriously Kyoko, I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" the actress asked.

"The fact that you're not in the least annoyed about this girl is beyond me," the stern model said. "If I were you, I certainly wouldn't take things so lightly."

Kyoko's eyes widen.

But before she could ask for any clarification, Touya suddenly jumped in and said with a scoff, "It's because she has nothing on her. So why should Kyoko worry?"

Ami clicked her tongue in disagreement as she casually linked her arm through Kyoko's. "Actually, Emi has a point there. Even I would be somewhat disturbed by her antics."

Confused and slightly worried about the ongoing conversation around her, Kyoko asked reluctantly, "What do you mean?"

"The comments she said in the interview," Emi pointed out, placing both of her hands on her hips. "It's pretty clear that they were double-edged, don't you think?"

Ami nodded. "That girl definitely had something up her sleeve. She couldn't have sounded more desperate."

"I know right? Did you hear her going on about how she had 'problems' acting with Tsuruga-san on set? Why doesn't she just flat out say she was attracted to him?"

Laughing, the smaller model replied, "What? And risk being turned down right there? I think even she's smarter than that."

Emi snorted. "I hate women like her. They might as well be up front about it. What's the point of trying to cut corners?"

"Well obviously she has to," Touya corrected with frown. "Everyone knows he's married to Kyoko. Flirting with a married man would completely backfire."

She scoffed and shook her head. "Right, like a wedding ring has deterred women before," Emi replied sarcastically, rolling her cold eyes.

"I hate to admit it, but Emi is right," Ami said with a nod as she caught Touya's skeptical look. "Nowadays, marriage is more like a challenge than a barrier."

But with a nonchalant wave of her hand, Ami suddenly added in a carefree voice, "But that's just us quibbling. Kyoko doesn't have anything to worry about. It's her and Tsuruga-san after all. Even from here we could tell they love each other, right Kyoko? Kyoko?"

Ami curiously turned her attention to the person beside her and to her surprise saw Kyoko staring in the other direction, her focus locked on something else entirely.

But at the sound of her name, the actress slowly turned her head back and met her friend's worried gaze.

"You alright?" Ami asked, her eyes widened with concern.

She gave a tiny nod. "I'm fine…"

Completely unconvinced by her odd tone of voice and understanding immediately the problem they had started, Emi said earnestly with raised hands, "Kyoko, we didn't mean anything by what we said. We're just talking, you know. We're not trying to scare you or anything."

"I know, Emi-san. It's okay. I'm fine, really."

Yui fluidly stepped in. "You sound a little off, Kyoko," she pointed out bluntly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Kyoko nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm just a little tired from the shoot."

"Do you want me to walk you back to the hotel then?" Touya asked anxiously.

"No, it's okay. I think I'll go rest in my dressing room," Kyoko answered, gently removing her arm from Ami's. "I probably need a few minutes."

"Alright," Emi said slowly, her eyes narrowed in doubt. "But remember we still have the club tonight, okay?"

"Of course, Emi-san, I'll be there."

And with one quiet good-bye to her still obviously concerned friends, Kyoko gradually made her way out of the room, her arms trembling at her sides.

* * *

><p>Kyoko silently unlocked her suite door and stepped inside the dimly lit room. Absent-mindedly swinging her purse over the white head rest of the couch, she plopped herself down and placed an arm over her tired eyes. After leaving the photo shoot, Kyoko had decided to go back home instead of going directly to the club. She figured it would be better for her to collect her thoughts before she had any plans of being with company.<p>

But now that she was home, the will to actually leave was getting weaker by the second. In fact, Kyoko wanted nothing more than to curl up into a tight ball and stay there. She couldn't get herself to forget about what was said. Her mind wouldn't dismiss their comments at all.

She sighed heavily and leaned her head back, staring worriedly at the ceiling.

Kyoko had never felt like this before. Her heart was still beating painfully in her chest, as if needles were poking directly into it, and her stomach would twist into knots whenever she tried to ignore it. She had never felt so irritated in her life.

When she first listened to the interview, the only thing Kyoko felt anxious about was her husband's irresponsible comment. But after that unsettling conversation with her friends, it suddenly became the last thing on her mind.

Was Emi right? Was there really something she wasn't seeing?

She sighed and stared down at her wedding band. From the very beginning, Kyoko knew that she would never have a normal relationship with Ren. She understood better than anyone that falling in love with the most desired man in Japan was sure to attract problems. But even with that in mind, Kyoko never once thought that she would be bothered by it. She had seen plenty of women interact with Ren before and she was always aware that they treated him differently. She noticed that they were over-friendly and that they were always comfortable with him. In fact, she practically expected it.

But it never once bothered her…until now.

As a wife_, __should_ she be more concerned?

Kyoko tiredly dropped her head into her hands.

Just thinking about the whole situation made her feel depressed. Every time she replayed the interview in her mind, she could now hear the warning signs that her friends had meticulously pointed out. They were practically grating her ears. Kyoko noticed everything—from the suggestive tone of the actress's voice to the sound of her suspicious laugh. Suddenly, it was all Kyoko could focus on.

She realized she was overreacting—that she was probably over-analyzing everything. There wasn't any reason for her to feel so pent-up because there wasn't any reason for her to doubt her husband. If there was anything Kyoko could be sure of, it was the fact that Ren cared about her more than anyone.

But to say that she wasn't bothered by the current situation would be a complete and total lie. No matter how much faith she had in her marriage, it was impossible for Kyoko to push the horrible images that had developed in her mind. There was no way to escape from them.

Kyoko slowly turned her attention towards the open window and realized that the sun was beginning to set. It was already getting late.

She sighed softly. _"__I __wonder __if __he__'__s __home __yet__…"_

Then turning her saddened eyes to the phone upon the coffee table, Kyoko could feel her hands begin to tremble as she realized how much she needed to call him. But at the same time she was very aware of the reason why. Kyoko groaned miserably, feeling as if her intentions were completely wrong—as if she was already accusing him of a crime he didn't commit.

Kyoko needed to calm down. She didn't want to call him like this. In a way, she wanted nothing more than to NOT pick up that phone so that she could prove to herself that there was nothing to worry about. But with each passing second, her anxiety level began to rise. Kyoko didn't just want to be reassured anymore. Now she needed to be.

So reaching a shaky and unwilling hand towards the white phone, she slowly entered his cell phone number and pressed the device to her ear.

RING!

…

RING!

…

RING!

"Hello?"

Kyoko's breath shook violently. She didn't even realize she wasn't breathing.

"Kyoko?" he answered worriedly. "Hello?"

And feeling her heart gradually begin to beat again at the sound of his gentle voice, she murmured softly, "Hi..."

He sighed heavily in relief. "Sweetheart, don't scare me like that. What was with the long pause?"

Laughing quietly to mask her nervousness, she replied, "I'm sorry, Ren. I was just a little distracted."

"With what?" he asked, his voice lowering dangerously.

Kyoko cracked a small smile at his childish reaction and leaned over on her knees. "Nothing as important as you."

Ren chuckled. "You always know how to get me to quit, don't you?"

"I try," she replied sweetly, feeling the warmth slowly return to her fingertips. "So how was work today?"

"Busy as usual. I have to admit though, I feel incredibly guilty for making Yashiro run all over town with me like this."

"Well, the premiere of your movie is coming up. This will probably be your busiest time of all," Kyoko pointed out.

He nodded. "It certainly feels that way. And I'm so sorry sweetheart for not picking up earlier today. I was stuck in another interview."

Shaking her head, she replied, "It's okay, Ren. I figured that was it. So how did it go?"

"Same old, same old. They asked just about the same questions," Ren said with a smile, "a little about the movie and plenty of questions about you."

Kyoko's eyes narrowed. "And what did you say this time?" she demanded suspiciously.

Ren grinned, replying, "Besides mentioning the handcuffs on the side of the bed, I was on my best behavior."

"REN!"

"I'm kidding, Kyoko," Ren answered as he tried to suppress the wave of chuckles threatening to spill over. If there was anything he loved more than his wife, it would have to be teasing her.

She sighed warily. "You do realize that because of your rashness last week, people are starting to look at me differently," Kyoko said with a pout.

Ren suddenly froze.

"How so?" he asked, all traces of teasing completely gone.

Giggling at his sudden seriousness, she said, "Not like that, Ren. I mean, they think I'm insane now."

"Well, I guess that makes the two of us."

Kyoko smiled widely. Talking to him on the phone like this was quickly lifting her low spirits. Ren was probably the only person in the world who made her feel as if everything was going to be okay. At the moment, she couldn't even recall why she was so frustrated before. All she could think about was her husband and how she wanted nothing more than to see his face.

So with softened eyes, she murmured under her breath, "I miss you, Ren."

"I miss you more," he whispered.

Kyoko laughed. "You wish."

"Really?" he teased. "You don't believe me? Well just today, I actually—"

"Ren!"

Kyoko jumped straight into the air, the strange voice completely catching her off guard. It felt as if someone had just roughly pulled her head right from out of the clouds.

"What are you doing on the phone, silly?" the female voice continued. "I thought we were going to grab dinner tonight."

"I'm sorry, Yukari-san," Ren replied away from his cell phone. "I'm just—"

"You don't need to apologize, Ren! Just hang up the phone and come on! We better hurry if we don't want to miss our reservation."

Kyoko's eyes widen in alarm, her hand clenched tightly in her lap.

"_Okamoto Yukari…"_

Ren shook his head. "I'm a little busy," he tried again.

She giggled. "It can't be that important. Now hurry, we really need to go!"

"Yukari-san," Ren said firmly, his tone becoming sharp in an instant, "I'm on the phone with my wife."

That was enough to get Yukari to stop dead in her tracks. In fact, he said more than enough. Ren didn't need to raise his voice at all; he barely even sounded rude, but it was more than clear that he wanted her to back off. So with a slightly embarrassed expression, she mumbled dejectedly, "Oh…I'm sorry, Ren."

He forced a polite smile in return and answered, "It's okay. I just need a few minutes and I'll be right there."

"Alright then..."

And with the sound of rapidly disappearing footsteps in the background, Ren turned back to the phone in his hand and said in earnest, "I'm sorry, Kyoko. It was just a co-star reminding me that we had dinner plans."

"Just you and Okamoto-san?"

"Of course not," Ren answered hastily, strangely feeling as if he needed to explain himself. "Other actors are coming too. It's one of those late night celebrations."

"I see…"

Ren's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Kyoko…what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"You sound different."

Shaking her head, Kyoko replied steadily, "It's nothing, Ren. I'm fine. Anyway, I think you should go. You wouldn't want to keep her waiting."

"It's alright, Kyoko. I still have—"

"Ren."

He froze. From out of the blue, it was as if his voice had completely escaped him, as if she had totally robbed him of the strength to speak.

"Please go to dinner," she continued in the same low voice. "I don't want you to be late."

Ren blinked a few times in surprise. He didn't understand what was going on at all. A part of him wanted to press forward, but he oddly felt like he couldn't—as if he had no right to.

"Are you sure?" he murmured reluctantly.

"Hmm…"

And not knowing what else to say but to abide by what his wife wanted, he reassured gently into the phone, "Okay then, I'll call you as soon as I'm done."

"I'll be waiting," she answered softly. "Have fun, Ren. Bye."

"By—."

And before he could even finish his farewell, Kyoko fluidly placed the phone back onto the table, feeling more distraught than she had ever felt in her life.


	8. Chapter 8: Wanting to Reach

Greetings everyone! I hope everyone had a good holiday and vacation! So for this holiday, my family decided to shower me with skip beat manga (HUZZAH!) which only fueled my desire to write. Therefore, I hope you like this chapter as much as the rest! Please Read and Review.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>"Ren-kun, how do you like the fit?"<p>

…

"Ren-kun?"

The actor lifted his head abruptly and stared down at the stylist who was kneeling at his feet. She looked up at him with a puzzled expression, a pin needle poking out of her mouth. "Is there something wrong, Ren-kun?" she mumbled.

He shook his head in earnest and smiled sheepishly. "No, no! I'm sorry, Jelly-san. I've just been a little distracted lately."

Smiling, she replied, "It's okay. Are the nerves getting to you?"

"Nerves?"

"Yeah, for the premiere of your movie tomorrow," the stylist answered.

"Oh! Right! The premiere…yes, I guess you can say I feel a little nervous," Ren said, running a hand through his hair.

She laughed and waved a nonchalant hand, her shimmery bangles hitting against each other. "Don't worry, Ren-kun. What is this, your hundredth time walking down the red carpet? I'm sure everything will go as smoothly as it always does."

"Thank you, Jelly-san," he answered with a grateful smile.

Then fluidly stepping down from the elevated stage, Ren took a quick look at himself in the tall mirror on the opposite wall. Dressed in a slick black tuxedo with a set of coat tails that only his height can pull off, the actor certainly looked immaculate from head to toe. Everything seemed like it was tailored just for him from the red rose upon his chest to the shiny shoes upon his feet.

Jelly smiled widely as she stood beside him, placing both of her hands upon her hips. "My goodness, I think I did it again—another masterpiece to add to my collection."

Chuckling, he replied humbly, "You do always know how to dress people, Jelly-san."

"Years of experience honey, years of experience."

Ren smiled as she stood upon her tip toes and started to fluff his hair. He kindly leaned down, eliciting a giggle from her lips. "My, my, either you're getting taller or I'm getting shorter," Jelly pointed out with a weary shake of her head.

She let out a tiny laugh. "Well, thank goodness you and Kyoko-chan don't differ so much in height. It would be quite awkward for the both of you, wouldn't it?"

And to the cosmetician's surprise, Ren's face suddenly fell. The gentle smile upon his face completely faded away.

"Ren-kun?" Jelly asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

He gave a tiny shake of his head as he slowly straightened up into a standing position, providing no kind of response whatsoever.

She frowned and scolded in a stern voice, "Don't lie to me, Ren-kun. You've known me long enough to know I don't appreciate being fooled."

But even at her sharp tone, Ren didn't have the heart to say what was on his mind. He couldn't open his mouth at all.

And just as Jelly was about to press him further, a small knock suddenly sounded upon the door. Quite irked at the interruption, Jelly walked away from the mirror and gave a quick turn of the silver handle.

"Oh! Hello there, Yashiro-san," she greeted with surprise.

He smiled and bowed his head. "Forgive my intrusion, Woods-san, but it seems that Ren and I are little behind schedule today. And I—"

"Say no more," Jelly answered with a raised hand. "I'll go get him."

Leaving the door open, the cosmetician walked back inside the room to find the young actor already undoing his bow tie and the flower upon his chest.

"Thank you for the fitting, Jelly-san," Ren said, flashing his careful and composed smile. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Jelly laughed and gave him a slight pinch upon his cheek. "It's not a problem, Ren-kun. I'm always happy to dress my favorite actor. But are you _sure_ things are okay?" she asked again as she narrowed her eyes in skepticism. Jelly wasn't one to forget things so easily.

Ren gave a fluid nod of his head. "Yes, I'm okay."

"Alright then, if you say so," Jelly replied reluctantly, "I'll hold on to your tux for now and you can come pick it up for the premiere tomorrow, okay?"

"Got it. Thanks again, Jelly-san," Ren said with a grateful bow of his head.

And with one last farewell to the bubbly stylist, he followed his manager, who was waiting patiently at the door, out into the hall.

"Where to next, Yashiro?" Ren asked as he began to button up his suit jacket.

Swiftly opening up the schedule book and pushing his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose, Yashiro replied in a business like tone, "We have a quick autograph signing at the cinema and then a photo shoot for the Armani brand. After that though, you can go straight home and get some rest for tomorrow."

Ren nodded, keeping his eyes upon the floor. But as the seconds ticked by with each thud of his footstep, he realized there was something else he truly wanted to ask Yashiro—something that had been heckling him all day.

So in a quiet voice that even his manager couldn't have predicted, Ren suddenly asked, "Yashiro, did I get any calls today?"

Yashiro raised his head in surprise. He didn't expect to hear that kind of tone from Ren at all. He couldn't have sounded more defeated. So instinctively putting on a rubber glove and reaching for Ren's cell phone that he had held onto while the actor was in the fitting room, Yashiro checked the blank screen and saw the familiar blue background.

Furrowing his eyebrows at the lack of a missed call, Yashiro replied, "Do you normally get calls so early?"

Ren smiled wryly as he accepted the phone from Yashiro. "I guess I just had high hopes for today," he said softly.

Immediately, Yashiro understood that the hunch he had had from this morning was true. Ren was upset—probably more upset that he had been in a long time. At first, Yashiro thought that he was only imagining things. After all, Ren completed his jobs with his usual professionalism and efficiency like any other day. Everything went as smooth as silk.

But the one thing that set today apart from any other was his habit of looking at his phone. At every chance he got, Ren would constantly check his cell and every time it came up blank, his mood seemed to plummet. During breaks, in between appointments, and even during lunch, he appeared on edge as if there was something he was desperately waiting for.

Although he didn't say a word about what was on his mind, Yashiro had known Ren long enough to know that there was something that was dampening his usually high spirits. So as soon as they both stepped inside the descending elevator, Yashiro sternly turned towards him and asked, "What's going on, Ren?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look really anxious. You're practically wound up in knots," he pointed out with concern. "What's on your mind?"

Ren averted his gaze. The fact that both Yashiro and Jelly understood his anguish not only spoke wonders about his supposedly amazing acting talent, but it also proved to him how bothered he must look on the outside. Over the past few nights, Ren had been losing very-much-needed sleep, constantly tossing and turning in his bed and at a complete loss as to what to do.

Ever since that odd phone call with Kyoko, he couldn't stop the feeling of unease from coursing through his veins.

The way her voice sounded, the lifeless comments she made, Ren couldn't deny his anxiety whenever he thought about them. They didn't seem to fit her character at all. It was almost accurate to say that they were highly unnatural. But what truly aggravated him the most was that he didn't understand what happened.

Without seeing her face to face, Ren hadn't a clue as to why she was upset or even more importantly what he could do to fix this. He had never felt so confused. One minute, they were talking happily like always and in the next it was as if the mood completely fell. Ren couldn't figure out what changed.

If he had a choice, he would hop on the first flight to New York in order to see her, to fix the problem that had arisen. But with the opening of his movie tomorrow and the many appointments he had lined up because of it, the earliest he could come out was in at least two weeks.

Ren sighed heavily.

"It's about Kyoko-chan, isn't it?" Yashiro asked in a kind voice at his friend's prolonged silence.

Leaning back against the wall and not in the least surprised that Yashiro understood, he confessed under his breath, "I don't know what's wrong, Yashiro. Kyoko…something is bothering her—something that she can't talk to me about."

He exhaled deeply. "I don't know what to do."

"Has she called you these last few days?" his manager asked.

Ren nodded, replying, "She has, but there's something off in our conversations. It's like she's holding back somehow…as if there's something she wants to say, but can't.

Yashiro frowned. "Did you ever try to ask her about it?"

"I don't know how to bring the subject up," Ren answered dejectedly. "And whenever I get the courage to, I always seem to get interrupted."

Ren suddenly dropped his heavy head into his hands, a clear sign of both his helplessness and misery. Never before in his life had he ever felt so useless.

When the elevator doors slid open, the both of them walked out of the large LME building and towards Ren's silver car. Yashiro could clearly see his friend's pain flicker in his dark eyes, but he didn't know what to do. There weren't any words of consolation he could provide at all. The only way Yashiro figured he could help was if he knew just what EXACTLY was going on with Kyoko. But if she wouldn't talk to Ren about it, why in the world would she tell him?

If anything, she would talk to her frien—

Yashiro suddenly came to a stop.

Ren curiously turned around at his friend's strange pause and saw him standing there with wide eyes, as if he suddenly had some sort of eureka moment. "Yashiro?"

"Huh?"

Ren blinked in surprise. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah! Yeah! Everything's fine! Actually, Ren, do you mind going to the cinema first? There's something I need to take care of here," Yashiro added hastily.

"It's okay, I can wait," Ren replied with a step forward.

He shook his head. "You'll be late, Ren. And I know my way there. Just go on first and I'll meet up with you."

Noticing his friend's doubtful expression, Yashiro smiled warmly and said, "Besides, if you get there early, you might have time to call Kyoko-chan yourself."

His eyes widen.

And knowing that he completely won this fight by Ren's stunned and almost hopeful expression, Yashiro smoothly turned around and called over his shoulder, "I'll meet you in about an hour or so, Ren. Do your best at the autograph signing!"

Without waiting for Ren's response, Yashiro quickly walked back inside the cool LME building and approached the long front desk. The two assistants seated behind the table raised their heads simultaneously at his approach and smiled cordially.

"Hello, how may we help you?"

"Do you think you can look up somebody's phone number for me?" Yashiro asked politely.

The girls nodded. "Of course, whose number would you like?"

He smiled brightly, replying, "Please look up…"

* * *

><p>She swiftly crossed her long, slender legs and took another sip of carbonated water from the glass before her. Seated under a green umbrella, she took off her black sunglasses and positioned them on top of her head. She glanced down at her silver watch for the third time and took a quick look around at the people sitting around, seeing no signs of his arrival.<p>

"_He did say at the bakery, didn't he?"_ she thought with hidden confusion.

And right on cue, a male voice suddenly yelled from behind, "Kotonami-san!"

Kanae twisted her head around and saw his familiar gleeful face just a few feet away. She smoothly got to her feet at his approach, noticing how his chest was rising up and down rapidly. He must have run all the way here.

"I'm sorry," he said in a guilty and breathless voice, "I didn't realize this place was so hard to find."

"It's pretty exclusive," she answered, trying very hard to hide the amused smile at the corner of her lips at his disheveled expression. "Usually only those who work near LME come here. Other than that, it's pretty inconvenient."

Yashiro laughed. "Luckily for me then, you were already in the building."

"So what was so urgent that you had to call me? I didn't know you had my number."

Politely gesturing for Kanae to take a seat and then pulling out a chair of his own across from her, he replied, "I actually didn't. I had to ask the assistants to look it up for me. I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you in any way."

Kanae shook her head. "It's fine. I was already done with my drama shoot."

"Really? And how's that coming along?"

Touching her fingertips together, she replied, "The director knows what he's doing, so smoothly so far."

Then suddenly with a perfectly arched eyebrow, she asked in a more suspicious voice, "But I doubt you called me all the way out here to ask how my drama is doing?"

Yashiro chuckled weakly and brought both of his hands upon the table. "You're right," he confessed, "I actually had something else to ask you about—something important."

Her eyes widen in surprise as she leaned back against her seat, an indication for him to continue.

"Kotonami-san, have you heard from Kyoko-chan lately?"

"I talked to her the night before yesterday," Kanae answered with slightly narrowed eyes. "Why?"

"Did she sound different to you at all?" Yashiro asked, side-stepping her question.

And to his astonishment, Kanae suddenly placed her chin into the palm of her hand, looking quite disturbed. "You noticed it too?" she murmured softly.

Feeling his heart thud at the look upon her face, he stammered, "N-n-no, not me. I actually heard it from Ren."

"So I take it, he doesn't know why either?"

"Wait, she didn't tell you?" Yashiro asked in surprise.

Shaking her head, Kanae replied, "I didn't ask. But…"

"Yes?"

Kanae turned to his anxious look face and suddenly frowned. "I'm surprised that Tsuruga-san doesn't know what's going on. Shouldn't he out of all people understand what's going on with his wife?"

Feeling as if he was the one who was just chided, Yashiro lowered his head in shame and responded in a small voice, "I'm sure he's beating himself up for that too. His pride must be completely shot by now."

And similar to the moments whenever she harshly talked to Kyoko, Kanae couldn't help but feel this weakness at seeing Yashiro's down-trodden face. Somehow, she couldn't stay cold even if she tried. So with a weary sigh, she added, "Well, Kyoko's hard to figure out. She's good at covering up what she's really thinking."

Yashiro smiled gratefully and nodded.

"But from what I can tell," Kanae continued thoughtfully, "it probably has something to do with Tsuruga-san."

"How do you know?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Trust me, I know. There's nothing else in the world that would make her so distressed."

"And she didn't say anything to you about it? Not a single word?"

Kanae shook her head, replying, "Besides talking about work and asking me about my drama, she hasn't said much."

Then with a sudden snap of her fingers, she added, "Well actually, Kyoko did ask me a little bit about Tsuruga-san's movie."

"His movie?" Yashiro repeated confusedly. "Why would she ask you about that?"

"Well, more like about his co-star, Yukari something or other. She just asked me if I knew her."

Kanae shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't."

And with his hands clenched at the sound of her name, Yashiro asked in a surprisingly soft voice, "She asked about Okamoto-san?"

"Yes…why?"

He exhaled deeply, wariness crashing down upon him like a wave. Now the answer was as clear as day. Yashiro couldn't believe he didn't catch this from the beginning. It was exactly as he feared. Even though she was all the way in New York, Kyoko must have heard at least _some_ of the media stories. And knowing exactly what kind of information they contained, there was no doubt why she was upset.

"Kotonami-san, have you been keeping up with Ren's interviews or anything like that?"

She shook her head in puzzlement. "Not really. Why?"

"Well, during those shows, you would have met Okamoto Yukari, a woman who I'm pretty sure is making Kyoko-chan feel…insecure."

As a woman, Kanae didn't need any more explanation than that. She knew what Yashiro meant without having to ask. Now it all made sense. And Kanae could only assume that Kyoko was just too proud to admit that she was bothered by another woman—even to her. In fact, Kanae would bet that she probably wasn't even aware that she was feeling jealous at all.

Yashiro sighed and took off his glasses. "I warned him this would happen."

Kanae's eyes froze as she stared into his face.

"But I didn't think this was going to happen so soon," he mumbled.

"It's their first time away from each other," Kanae added after a while. "To be honest, I would be surprised if Kyoko didn't feel anything."

Yashiro smiled grimly. "I guess you're right. But the good thing is that now we know what's wrong. So I can just tell Ren what happened and he can—"

"Hold on," Kanae cut in, raising her hand and placing it upon the table. "I don't think we should say anything."

"WHAT?" Yashiro asked incredulously. "Why not?"

Breathing out heavily, Kanae answered under her breath, "It's not in our place. This is a problem between them and only them. It's not right for outsiders to interfere."

"But they're both hurting because of it," Yashiro retorted desperately. "How can we just sit by and not help?"

"Yashiro-san, there must be a reason why Kyoko hasn't talked to Tsuruga-san about it. It would be completely unfair to her if we jump in and tell him what happened. In a way, I feel like I'm betraying her trust. Kyoko didn't ask me to say anything and I'm just going to make that decision myself?"

Kanae shook her head defiantly. "I can't do that. Besides, I'm sure if she wanted to tell Tsuruga-san, she would have done so by now. So I'm going to respect her wishes by remaining silent too."

Yashiro ran a hand through his air and murmured in a defeated voice, "And I think you're going to say that Ren should be able to figure this out on his own as well, right?"

Kanae didn't reply, but her opinion was clear.

Although every fiber of his being screamed to help, Yashiro couldn't deny the fact that Kanae was right. None of them asked for help—heck, even Ren was unaware that he was with Kanae right at that moment. It was exactly like she said; it wasn't in his place to interfere. Yashiro just had to wait for them to figure this out on their own.

Noticing his intensely doubtful expression, Kanae suddenly showed a small smile and said, "Mo, you should have more faith in them. After everything they have been through, this is miniscule in comparison."

Yashiro laughed quietly. "I guess you're right," he replied as he returned his glasses onto his face.

And seeing Kanae clearly this time, his eyes softened at her warm expression as he said, "You're a truly good friend, Kotonami-san."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Why do you say that?"

"You always seem to know what's best. I really admire that."

Kanae turned her face away, trying her best to hide the change in color upon her cheeks.

"…friend…too…," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry?" Yashiro asked curiously, leaning towards her. "I didn't catch that."

Fully turning towards him, Kanae looked at him straight in the eyes and replied in a surprisingly steady voice, "I said, you're a good friend too."

At that moment, Yashiro had no idea what it was he felt. It was the oddest sensation that had ever erupted inside of him. He felt as light as air, but at the same time he had never been more aware of the fact that he was alive. Yashiro just couldn't stop staring into her eyes.

Even when they had bid each other farewell and walked away in the opposite direction, he could still feel his heart beating erratically within his chest. But the strangest thing about it was that he didn't mind…in fact, Yashiro even had a vain hope that the feeling would never stop.

* * *

><p><em>Knock, knock!<em>

"Coming!" Kyoko called as she dashed towards the front door, paying careful attention not to tread on her purple chiffon gown that Cindy had given her for the occasion.

Swiftly unlatching the lock, Kyoko swung the front door open and smiled widely as she was greeted with Touya's bright expression.

"Wow," he murmured breathlessly, running his green eyes over her beautiful dress and silky complexion. "You look..._remarkable_."

"Thank you," Kyoko said with a tiny blush. "And you look quite good yourself, Touya. I like the suit."

He grinned widely. "Thank you. So are you about ready to go?" he asked in a cheerful voice.

"Just about," Kyoko answered, stepping aside to let him in, "I just need to get some stuff ready. Is that okay?"

"Of course! Take your time," Touya relied in earnest as he walked into the living room and comfortably sat down upon the white couch.

But unable to cast her "proprietress-tendency" aside, Kyoko retrieved a tall glass of iced tea from her fridge and politely handed him the beverage.

"You don't have to do this, Kyoko," Touya said with a shake of his head. "I don't mean to impose."

Smiling, she replied, "Don't worry about it, Touya. It's the least I can do."

Instantly catching on to her happy mood, Touya couldn't help but notice how different she seemed right now. Over the past few days, it was clear that Kyoko wasn't feeling her best. She almost seemed to be falling apart at the seams. And it was certainly hard to stomach watching her struggle so desperately to hold herself together, especially when she was at work. Just the amount of pure effort she put into her tasks when it was so obvious how much she was hurting nearly tore people up. Practically everyone around her could tell there was something eating at her from the inside, but not everyone understood why.

But Touya knew.

After catching her sitting on her own with her cell phone lying open in her trembling hands, her amber eyes completely devoid of all emotion, he knew exactly who she was waiting for. Kyoko was thinking about nothing else but her husband back home. And although Touya could tell she was concerned, he couldn't get himself to help—or rather, he didn't want to.

"Touya?"

He jumped in surprise and found Kyoko staring at him with a confused expression. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No! No!" he said with a vigorous wave of his hands, "It's nothing! I, um, just couldn't help but notice how…_happy_ you look right now."

Kyoko smiled sadly, feeling immense guilt for making him worry. So with a quiet sigh, she murmured, "I guess I didn't do such a good job hiding my problems, huh?"

Shaking his head, he answered, "That's not it. I guess I just pay attention to you more than I should."

Kyoko laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, for the moment, I'm okay. To be honest, right now I feel more anxious about the party tonight than anything," she said with a brighter smile.

"You shouldn't be though! It's a party to celebrate your great success here in New York. The public seems to have taken quite a liking to you and your photos."

She blushed. "I think the photographers should get more credit than me though."

Touya chuckled and gave a weary smile. "Always modest, aren't you, Kyoko?" he teased.

Kyoko flashed another smile. Then fluidly turning back down the hall, she said, "I'll go put on some finishing touches and then I'll be right out, Touya."

He nodded as he watched her gracefully walk out of the room. Then turning his eyes around the space before him, he realized how insanely neat Kyoko was. It was almost as if she touched nothing in the suite since the first day she arrived. All that was different was that the remote was on the couch and her purse and cell phone were upon the coffee table. Other than that, everything was right where it should be.

Touya crossed his legs and looked up at the clock. He saw that they still had plenty of time before the party so there was certainly no need to rush. And just as he was about to turn on the television to pass the time, an odd noise suddenly pulled his attention away.

And there, vibrating upon the wooden table top was her pink cell phone, its blue screen flashing away. Instinctively, he reached a hand towards the device and read the name.

"Touya? Was that my phone?" Kyoko called from the bedroom.

…

"Touya?"

"Uh! Yeah, it was!" he replied quickly.

She curiously leaned her head out of the bedroom doorway, her fingers at her ear trying to hook on an earring. "Who was it?"

"Probably just a wrong number," Touya answered with a shrug as he got to his feet. "It hung up on the first ring."

"Oh," Kyoko mumbled with furrowed eyebrows. "Alright then."

And just as she walked back inside her room, Touya silently took her now still cell phone from out of his jacket pocket and flipped the thin device open.

It didn't take him too long to decide on what to do. In truth, he knew as soon as he read the name.

Then with surprisingly steady hands, he managed to get into her phone's call log. Touya understood that he had no right to. It wasn't in his place to do such a thing at all, but in one way or another he felt like he had to.

That way, Kyoko could continue to smile…

That way, she didn't have to think about anything or anybody for the night…

That way, it would seem as if Ren hadn't called her at all…


	9. Chapter 9: Meddlesome Fate

Hello everyone! So, I just want to let you know how happy I am to see your fervent responses about the characters I created. It's nice to see people react to them exactly the way I had hoped for. LOL. Anyway, I hope you like this next installment as the others. Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>"Good evening, Tokyo City!" Candace greeted eagerly into the camera. "We're here live on the red carpet premiere of the most-anticipated movie of the year <em>FUGITIVE<em>, the action-packed thriller directed and written by Director Hanata Kenji! My goodness, do you hear that roar behind me? It's just crazy down here! Can you believe how many people showed up, Kim?"

Shaking her head in disbelief, the other host said into her large microphone, "This place is jam-packed, Candace! Practically anybody who's anybody showed up. And considering the way they look, this is no casual event."

"I hope I'm not under-dressed," Candace said worriedly as she looked down at her silver, sequined dress.

Kim shook her head, reassuring with a nonchalant wave of her hand, "You look great, Candace. There's no need to worry at all."

"Well, I absolutely adore your red gown, Kim. You definitely belong on this carpet."

"And speaking of belonging on the red carpet," the brunette said with a merry laugh, "have you noticed that a certain _someone_ is missing, Candace?"

Curious, the blonde host scanned her blue eyes down the long rows of celebrities, fans, and reporters, replying in a slow voice, "You're totally right, Kim. It seems that the main star hasn't shown up yet."

"But then again," Candace added with a shrug, "maybe he's just being _fashionably_ late."

Kim pouted and complained, "Well, I hope he gets here soon. His fans—and not to mention myself—are starting to get antsy. "

Candace laughed. "He's probably coming any minute—"

And before the last word could escape her ruby lips, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the crowd as the camera lights from the paparazzi flashed like lightning. Everyone urgently tried to push their way down towards the end of the carpet, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person who had just arrived. It was almost like a tidal wave of movement that stretched on for miles.

Excitedly turning back to the camera beside her, Kim shouted with large, anticipating eyes, "FOR THOSE AT HOME, IT SEEMS THAT A WHITE STRETCH LIMO HAS JUST PULLED UP! I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHO THAT IS!"

The frantic cries continued, filling the air with nothing but pure excitement and elation. Even the hosts were jumping up and down as the fans and reporters screamed his name like a mantra.

And there, smiling and waving politely at each person he met eyes with, Ren slowly walked down the long carpet with his co-stars surrounding him.

Nearly every person within a twenty feet radius fainted at the sight of his flawless face. He easily stood out from the crowd, pulling everyone's attention to him whether they liked it or not. His brown eyes were soft, but his smile was as bright as the lights that flashed around him. It was amazing how gracefully he walked down the runway, unfazed by the tumultuous shouts and cameras desperate to get a glimpse of his face.

"REN-KUN!" Kim yelled frantically, waving her hand back and forth like a hyper-speed pendulum. "OVER HERE!"

Luckily for her, the tall actor was close enough to see her eager movement and with a tiny bow of his head, fluidly made his way over to the edge.

"Hello Kim," Ren greeted politely. "And good evening, Candace."

Touched and more than happy that he remembered both of their names, the hosts said simultaneously, "HI REN-KUN! You look amazing!"

He chuckled and shook his head. "I think I pale in comparison to the both of you."

The girls giggled.

"Always modest, aren't you, Ren-kun?" Kim teased, her heart all a-flutter at his compliment.

"It isn't modesty when it's the truth," Ren answered with a sweet smile.

Leaning in closer to get a better look, Candace asked enthusiastically, "So tell us who you are wearing, Ren-kun. Is that Armandy I see?"

His eyes widen in positive surprise as he murmured, "You're absolutely right. Wow Candace, that's amazing. How did you know?"

She giggled and replied, "Would you wear anything less? It looks like the tux was made for you, Ren-kun."

"Thank you," Ren answered a tip of his head. "I'm very lucky to wear something from such an incredible designer."

"And are you excited for today, Ren-kun?" Kim asked. "The premiere is finally here!"

He laughed and nodded. "I am. I can hardly wait to sit down with everyone to see the movie."

"Is this the first time you will be watching it?" Candace asked with curious eyes.

"Yes, as a cast, we all decided to go through the first-time experience with everyone else."

"So do you think you will be happy with the final result?" Kim inquired, positioning the microphone closer to his mouth as his fans began to scream even louder.

"I think I will be," Ren replied thoughtfully. "Director Hanata gave us such clear instructions while filming that it was impossible to mess up. He's certainly the mastermind behind the film and the success of this production belongs solely to him."

"Oh, I don't know about that, Ren-kun," Candace disagreed with a playful wag of her finger.

"I agree; I heard you were quite the force while filming," Kim added. "Word around the block says that you completely dominated the set."

Ren chuckled, countering in an unaffected voice, "I wouldn't credit myself for that, but rather how the plot was written. It's hard to be passive on set when you play a character who knows how to command a room so easily. I only humbly carried out my role's written actions."

"Well, from the looks of the trailer, this movie looks like nothing short of a winner," Candace complimented with a thumbs-up sign.

Kim nodded with a happy smile.

But then remembering something important, she suddenly added with a curious gaze, "Although I can't help, but notice the fact that you're not sharing this wonderful achievement with someone, Ren-kun. Where in the world is your beautiful wife?"

Unable to suppress the flicker of emotion that rose from within him, Ren answered in an unintentional gloomy voice, "Kyoko is unfortunately out of the country on business and couldn't make it this evening."

The corners of Candace's lips naturally turned downward as she stared into his face. It was so clear how hurt and disappointed he was that it was just impossible for her to ignore it.

So with sympathetic eyes, she asked softly, "You really miss her, don't you?"

He nodded. "This is the longest time we've ever been separated from one another," Ren murmured, flashing a tiny smile in hopes to lighten the mood. "It gets harder and harder everyday for me. I'm barely hanging on by a thread."

Heart-broken by his obvious sincerity, Kim couldn't help but add, "I'm sure she feels the same way, Ren-kun. She must be dying to be here."

He smiled. "I know I'm dying to see her."

But before the hosts could say another word to reassure the young actor, a female voice suddenly called from behind, "REN!"

They all turned around and saw Yukari walking towards them, wearing a green, strapless dress that hit her right at the knees. With her dark braided to the side, the actress casually placed her hand upon Ren's arm and said, "I've been looking all over for you! The cast was starting to get worried!"

"Okamoto Yukari!" Candace exclaimed with surprise. "I didn't know you were here already!"

Laughing, she answered with a flirty flip of her hair, "Well of course! I arrived here with Ren, didn't I? I've just been a little busy with the reporters down there. They're like sharks! Once they get their teeth in you, they won't let you go."

"Wait, you came with Ren-kun?" Kim asked in alarm.

"The main cast came together," Ren smoothly explained before Yukari could respond, whose smile seemed to tighten as soon as the answer left his lips.

"Oh I see," Candace said with a nod. "So Yukari-san, considering you play Ren-kun's love interest in the movie, did you enjoy acting with him?"

Yukari smiled widely and replied, "Oh my gosh, who wouldn't? I could just about stare at his face all day."

Ren shook his head warily with a sheepish smile as Kim said, "Well, I guess you're one of the lucky few who can. You must have been devastated when the film ended."

"Of course," Yukari answered with an exaggerated pout. "But I'm sure Ren and I will meet each other again some time in the near future."

Kim and Candace froze.

They had no idea if Ren had noticed it or not, but they knew in an instant that Yukari's statement was clearly more complicated than it seemed. There was just no denying it. She meant something so much more.

And without a clear reason as to why, the hosts suddenly felt this odd wave of irritation flow through their veins, especially when the actress carelessly wrapped her hand around Ren's arm. Their eyes narrowed.

Although Candace and Kim wouldn't deny the fact that they too were upset the first time around they heard that Ren had finally met someone and settled down, both girls continued to credit themselves for the start of his loving relationship with Kyoko. After all, it was because of his interview on their live show that Ren was able to confess his love in the first place. And now that both hosts have seen how incredibly happy they were together, they were now more than supportive of the couple. To put it simply, Candace and Kim almost felt like it was their duty to defend the lovebirds with everything they got.

"Ren-kun," Kim said in a sharp voice as she took a dominant step forward. "Since Kyoko-chan isn't here, would you like to say something to the camera? I'm sure wherever she is, she's probably watching the premiere right now."

Candace nodded, understanding her friend's motive immediately. "That's right! Knowing her, she wouldn't miss this in the world."

And to the hosts' great pleasure, Ren's unusually small smile brightened like the sun, causing every single girl to helplessly swoon at the sight of it. Even after all this time, they still weren't used to his charming smile or good looks. There was just no way to fight off the intense trembling in their knees. Ren had them all captivated without any effort at all.

Then smoothly turning to the large camera behind the pleased female hosts, Ren said with surprising ease, "I wish you were here, Kyoko, more than anything in the world."

Unable to suppress their love for such a romantic gesture, the actor's many fans suddenly erupted in a loud wave of "AWWW!" which only elicited a dark blush from Ren who conveniently had his eyes glued to the floor.

Smiling widely at his sweet and innocent response, Kim said with a playful and triumphant smile, "With a confession like that, I wouldn't be surprised if Kyoko-chan shows up right now. There's no way she didn't feel it."

Candace nodded, replying, "I had no idea you were such a romantic, Ren-kun."

Ren smiled.

"She brings out sides of me I never knew existed either," he answered with a charming laugh, feeling more light-hearted than he had in a while. Because from somewhere deep inside him, he felt like Kyoko had heard it too and that was the most comforting thought he had all night.

But amidst the happy banter, Yukari, who once again felt left out of another conversation, didn't have enough patience to stand still much longer. Fired up, she quickly jumped in and said in an oddly stern voice, "Ren, let's go get seated. We don't want to get in there late. Director Hanata is probably waiting for us."

Ren turned to her and nodded, realizing he spent more time lingering around this area more than he should.

So looking back at the now disappointed (and once again irked) hosts, Ren said politely, "Thank you to you both for coming here today. It means so much that you came and I hope we will get the chance to talk again soon."

"Of course, Ren-kun!" Kim answered confidently. "We need you back on the show! It hasn't been the same without you at all."

"But this time, we want Kyoko-chan on as well," Candace said with a wink. "We haven't seen her in forever and it's about time we got the both of you for a full hour."

Ren laughed. "I think she'll like that. Thank you again."

And with one sincere smile towards the both of them, he followed Yukari to the large, golden theater at the end, unaware of the hard look that was now apparent in his co-star's eyes.

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><p>"Oh my goodness!" Ami squealed, throwing her head back against the couch cushion to stare at the frozen girl seated behind her. "I can't believe he said that live!"<p>

Kyoko had a shaky hand over her slightly open mouth, feeling the heat rush straight to her cheeks. It was like Ami said—she couldn't believe it either.

After a good-long three hour photo-shoot for this season's swimwear, the girls (and Touya) decided to head back to Kyoko's suite to hang out and watch the red carpet premiere for Ren's new movie.

Stuffed with salty snacks and iced tea, the group happily judged the many gowns they saw at the event and commented on the different actors and actresses that arrived. However, the real show started when Ren made his (whether he wanted it or not) grand entrance that stole everyone's attention.

Even now, Kyoko could feel her heartbeat increase in speed as she stared into his face. She always loved to see him in a polished tuxedo. And while gazing at him with softened eyes, Kyoko couldn't help but realize the fact that she really did fall in love with a Prince Charming. She couldn't have felt luckier.

And obviously Emi and Ami enjoyed seeing Ren as well since they squealed nonstop as he smoothly stepped into the frame and began to speak to the two interviewers.

But when Ren affectionately spoke out to Kyoko, with sincerity ringing in his every word, Kyoko could suddenly feel this intense trembling of her heart. In her four weeks that she had been here, she had never wanted to see him so much. His words shook her from head to toe, but she loved every single one of them.

"Man, Tsuruga-san really goes all out, doesn't he?" Emi said with a shake of her head as she plopped down beside Kyoko who still had her eyes glued to the television.

"But that's what I love most about him! He's never afraid to do anything!" Ami said happily.

She twisted her body around to stare at Yui who was quietly nibbling on her granola bar beside Kyoko. "What do you think?"

Yui shrugged. "I can tell he's honest and that's always good."

"Of course, he's honest!" Ami replied passionately as she got to her feet and perched herself upon the armrest. "Tsuruga-san obviously misses Kyoko and what better way to let her know than on live TV! HE'S SUCH A ROMANTIC!"

Kyoko blushed profusely and shook her head. "He's so reckless…"

"Well if you ask me, it's a little much," Touya commented with a frown as he chugged down a beer. "Way to grab more attention."

Throwing a pillow at his slightly red face, Emi replied coldly, "Look who's talking. Way to bring down the mood, idiot."

Kyoko quickly laughed and put up both of her hands, replying, "I think Touya means that Ren shouldn't say such comments on television. The last time he expressed his honest feelings, it caused an unnecessary uproar. Touya is only looking out for my best interests."

He smiled and nodded at her sweet expression. "Exactly. Only you understand me, Kyoko."

Emi snorted. "You're just lucky she's nice, Touya," she replied with a roll of her dark eyes.

"Well grabbing attention or not," Ami interrupted loudly, "it's certainly a nice sentiment so I give Tsuruga-san a heaping amount of kudos points."

"Me too!" Emi agreed, giving Ami a sturdy high-five. "And what about you, Yui?"

The quiet model raised her eyes. And in her usual emotionless voice, she replied, "As long as it lifts Kyoko's spirits, I have no complaints."

Kyoko's eyes widen. Out of all people to worry about her, she would have never thought that Yui would be the one to say it so casually. Both touched and surprised by her comment, her lips naturally curved into a small smile as she murmured softly, "Thank you, Yui-san."

She smiled back.

But suddenly, in an annoyed voice directed at the television screen, Emi said with her hands thrown exasperatedly in the air, "And there she goes again. I swear that Yukari hag is really getting on my nerves."

Ami giggled, shaking her head in disbelief. "She always knows how to kill a mood, doesn't she?" the small friend asked as she watched the actress pull Ren away from the hosts.

"Well the interview is over anyway," Touya pointed out. "As the main star, he shouldn't linger too long and make everyone else wait for him."

"WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, TOUYA?" Emi hollered angrily.

"Kyoko's of course!" he replied in a defensive voice. "But it's unnecessary to insult her like that!"

"Well if you like her so much, why not go and take her off of Tsuruga-san's back? It'll do us a whole lot of good."

"Now, now Emi, play nice," Ami said with a laugh. "I'm sure Touya doesn't mean much."

And before the angry model could reply, a knock suddenly sounded upon the double doors. Yui, who sat closest to the door, silently got up and unlatched the golden lock. A concierge politely bowed his head at her presence and said in a deep voice, "Excuse me, but I have a package for Mogami-san."

"I'll take it," Yui answered with extended hands.

The man nodded and placed a large brown envelope in her grasp. Then with one last bow of his head, he walked down the hall as Yui closed the door behind her once more.

"Kyoko, it's for you."

Curious, she got to her knees and took the package out of Yui's hands, slowly sitting back down upon her calves once it was in her grasp. From its sturdy weight, Kyoko could tell that there wasn't just paper inside, but it contained a rather hard object as well. The top of the brown envelope did not have a sender's name. All it had was her name, the Mark Hotel address, and large red letters that spelled CONFIDENTAL.

"Who's it from?" Emi asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Not sure," Kyoko mumbled as she slipped a finger under the thick flap. "I wonder who knows to send me stuff here."

With a loud sound of paper tearing, Kyoko surprisingly pulled out a CD case and a bright golden letter. She automatically handed Emi the case while she unfolded the paper. As soon as it was fully laid open, Kyoko's eyes widened in delight as she was hit with the familiar cursive writing:

**Hello Mogami-kun! (Or should I say Hizuri-kun…? *GRIN*)**

**I hope things have been going well in New York. I must say, not having you run around LME has made the whole company quieter for the last few weeks and I quite miss the loudness. *Chuckles* But knowing you, you must be working very hard with your new modeling career and probably haven't had a good decent break in a while. So, with the intention to lessen your fatigue, I have sent you an exclusive DVD of your husband's latest movie. (Hopefully this arrived the day of the premiere…)**

**Enjoy it to the max and I will see you as soon as you return!**

**Sincerely,**

**Lory**

**P.S. Don't forget to send some extra photos back to Japan. It will be great to use them as an example for aspiring models. *Big Smile***

Oddly choked with emotion, Kyoko smiled tenderly at the golden letter and properly folded it back to its original position. Then turning to Emi who had already opened the case, Kyoko said, "Looks like we won't be missing out from the premiere after all."

"What do you mean?" Touya asked, looking up at Kyoko.

"My boss back at home sent us a DVD for Ren's movie."

"YOU'RE KIDDING!" Ami screamed with glee as she jumped up and down. "LET ME SEE! LET ME SEE!"

Emi excitedly handed her the disc and said, "Go put it in! We HAVE to watch it! I can't believe how lucky we are!"

Laughing, Kyoko replied with a nod, "Only President Lory would be able to get his hands on something like this."

"President Lory?" Touya repeated. "I've heard of him before from Uncle. He's really eccentric, isn't he?"

"Well, he's famous for his grandiose fashion and personality, but he's also got a great judgment for talent. It was because of him I got to have a chance in show biz," Kyoko answered.

"Well we are greatly indebted to this President Lory," Ami said with a vigorous nod as she pointed a remote at the television screen that now displayed the DVD menu screen. "He couldn't have made this day any better."

So with all four girls sitting curled upon the couch and Touya at their feet, the movie began to play in the semi-dark room. Everyone had their eyes glued to the glowing set, moved and riveted to the spot. From the very first scene, not a single sound came from the small audience. They were locked in complete awe, wonder, and suspense during the whole movie. It was better than any of them had expected. FUGITIVE was definitely a winner.

Ren, who played an escaped convict, was so intense that even Kyoko could feel shivers run down her spine every time he was in a scene. Although she had witnessed him playing his most violent character BJ in person before, she could never seem to get used to seeing him so blood-thirsty. But her favorite moments in the movie was seeing the slow change within his eyes as his character came to enjoy the simple joys of being free and loved. It only made Kyoko understand that much more how her husband had changed as he finally forgave the mistakes of his past.

However, this time around, there was another feeling that flowed through Kyoko's veins as she watched his movie—a feeling that she didn't particularly like.

FUGITIVE was certainly not the first film of Ren's that had romance. Ever since his successful role in Dark Moon, Ren was easily the first candidate chosen for any romantic character and Kyoko was more than aware that any movie would be lucky to have somebody like him as the male protagonist. He not only played the part well, but he also easily enticed the female fans.

After watching a couple of his movies, even Kyoko began to enjoy seeing him play the man in love, especially when she can pinpoint the times when he let a little bit of himself shine through. Kyoko could always somehow relate to the movies and so it never really bothered her to see him act out a love for another woman.

But for this movie, Kyoko couldn't deny the strange knots in her stomach that tightened every time he and Yukari were together. She knew instantly why she felt this way and Kyoko couldn't have been more disappointed with herself. It was such an idiotic feeling to have, but no matter how hard she tried to dismiss it, Kyoko couldn't stop thinking about the fact that somebody else knew the texture of his lips besides her.

"Wow…" Ami suddenly murmured as the ending credits began to roll. "That…was…AWESOME!"

Emi nodded and slumped back against the couch in amazement. "It totally exceeded my expectations. I mean, did you see that fist fight? Takeishi was so damn cool!"

"And the most surprising part was that Takeishi was Tsuruga-san! I completely forgot it was him during the entire movie!"

Touya sighed heavily "I hate to admit it, but that film was pretty good."

"So you concede defeat then?" Emi asked with a smirk. "Tsuruga-san is quite the catch, isn't he?"

He didn't reply.

"Did you like the movie, Kyoko?" Yui asked quietly.

Turning to her left, Kyoko said with what she hoped was a normal smile, "I did. I'm really proud of him."

"But you know what the one downside to the movie is?" Ami said thoughtfully.

Kyoko shook her head.

"The quote unquote 'romance' scenes," the model answered with a small shudder. "Tsuruga-san was perfect as always of course, but _she_ was so…bland."

"No kidding," Emi agreed as she popped a chip into her mouth.

"There wasn't any steam at all."

"I didn't even get the butterflies."

"Is that what you call acting?"

"I can replace her any day."

"No doubt."

Touya rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Enough already. Kyoko gets it; Yukari-san is not a match for Tsuruga-san so will you lay off of the insults?"

Emi glared. "You seem to be defending her quite a bit, Touya," she pointed out suspiciously. "Why are you so adamant about putting her in a good light?"

"I'm not. I just don't think it's fair to judge her so poorly, especially when your feelings are biased."

Emi sniffed and turned her head away. She had no voice to argue, especially when he pointed out her motive so bluntly.

And although Kyoko was more than grateful to have the support from her friends, she whole-heartedly agreed with Touya. They were certainly allowing their feelings to affect their better judgment. Yukari was a fine actress and to Kyoko, the romantic scenes were spot on. She and Ren did have chemistry on scene and it showed.

Then feeling the anxiety bubble up again, Kyoko quickly got to her feet and murmured, "I think I'm going to take a little walk."

"What?" Ami asked with alarm. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Kyoko, if this is about the movie, that woman did a horrible—!"

She shook her head in earnest and said, "No no, Emi-san. That's not it. And to be honest, I think Okamoto-san was great. I can't criticize her acting at all."

"Is that why you're leaving?" Yui asked with confused eyes.

"No, I just need a little fresh air. I've been cooped up for so long I think I really need to stretch my legs."

Touya quickly got to his feet and made a grab for his jacket. "I'll walk you, Kyoko."

She smiled and gave another shake of her head. "It's okay, Touya. I won't be long. I should be back in about 15 minutes or so. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

The girls arched an eyebrow.

"I promise; I'm fine."

"Alright then," Ami said reluctantly. "Only fifteen minutes, okay?"

Kyoko nodded, repeating, "Fifteen minutes."

Then with one last smile, Kyoko unhooked her coat from the rack and swung her purse over her shoulder. She silently closed the suite door without bothering to look at the worried guests she had left behind. It was true that she needed some air. Somehow, it felt like her lungs were straining to get even the tiniest breaths and being holed up in the room didn't help.

Once Kyoko stepped outside, wearing her sunglasses as a weak disguise to avoid any reporters, she gratefully sucked in the cool, crisp air that seemed to clear her airways. The sun had just set over the horizon so the streets weren't too crowded with people. Kyoko had already acquainted herself with the streets around the Mark Hotel so she was confident she wouldn't get lost.

Making her way towards her favorite plaza down the street, Kyoko absent-mindedly walked past the many boutiques, but she didn't really _see_ any of them. Her mind was too busy replaying the scenes from the movie like a broken projector. Kyoko just couldn't forget every touch, every embrace, and every kiss Yukari and her husband had shared.

"_NO! NO!"_ Kyoko thought sternly with a fervent shake of her head. _"It was Takeishi and Atsuko—only Takeishi and Atsuko."_

But once again, it was no use. No amount of self-persuasion was enough. So feeling weary and tired, Kyoko decided to stop by the café cart and grab a cup of coffee. She was never one for caffeinated drinks, but now she was desperate. Kyoko needed some sort of distraction.

She turned a corner and to her great disappointment saw quite a long line in front of the cashier. Kyoko glanced at her wristwatch and saw that she only had about ten minutes left before she had to go and there was no way she would make it back to her suite in time if she waited. So deciding to grab some coffee from the underground restaurant in the hotel, she quietly turned around to walk back home.

But before she could even take a single step—

"Kyoko…?"

Her blood ran cold in an instant.

She recognized the voice as soon as she heard it. She didn't even need to turn around to know. After so many years, Kyoko would never be able to forget him. He was etched into her memory like a dark cloud that could never be erased.

Yet she couldn't find the strength to walk away. Her body had moved before she could even think to stop it. With frozen amber eyes, Kyoko unwillingly turned towards the male voice behind her and felt the color completely drain from her face.

As soon as their eyes met, his name easily slipped from her lips—a name she thought she would never have to say in her life again.

"Shotaro…"


	10. Chapter 10: Trouble

Hi! So, I'm really excited to write out these next few chapters. It's a scenario I've always wondered about and it's quite exciting to have the chance to bring it to life. I hope you are all enjoying the new "conflict" and continue to stick with the story. Thank so much! And please read and review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Sho couldn't believe his eyes. Even when she met his astonished gaze, even when she murmured his name in reply, he still didn't fully comprehend what was going on. It felt as if time had suddenly screeched to a complete halt. But his body acted before he could even think. Unconsciously, his feet took a step forward as he asked in a shaky voice, "What are you doing here?"<p>

Kyoko didn't reply at first. She was waiting for her heart to beat again. It seemed to have stopped dead in her chest. Yet her astonished eyes never left his face. Kyoko hadn't seen him in years. She hadn't thought about him in years. But just one look was enough for her to see that he had completely changed.

His eyes were different than she had last remembered. They were ridden with a seriousness that Kyoko wasn't used to. Sho was still as tall and lean as before, wearing dark navy jeans and a brown leather jacket, but his stance made him appear even more grown up somehow. He was almost unrecognizable.

But remembering he had asked her a question, she smoothly removed her slim sunglasses and replied, "I'm working here."

"By yourself?" Sho answered in alarm.

And just as she was about to reply, an excited voice suddenly called out:

"KYOKO?"

The actress turned her amber eyes towards the voice and saw Shoko approaching her with blatant surprise written all over her face. Even after all these years, Sho's young manager hadn't changed a bit. Shoko even had the same wavy hair style.

"Oh my god," she murmured as she got closer until they stood face to face. "I can't believe it's you! What are you doing here in New York?"

Kyoko smiled and politely bowed her head. "I just started a modeling career here actually. How are you, Shoko-san?"

Gently reaching out a hand for hers, Shoko replied, "I'm well! But Kyoko, you look…great! I mean, you're positively glowing!"

She blushed and shook her head. "It's because you haven't seen me awhile, Shoko-san. I haven't really changed."

"No, no!" Shoko disagreed in earnest. "You look so mature, even more so than before! I almost didn't recognize you there! Right, Sho?"

Shoko turned around and saw that Sho had gotten a couple of steps closer, but the shock was clearly evident in his eyes. They couldn't have been any larger. But even though he looked like he wasn't listening, Sho had actually heard every word; and he couldn't have agreed with Shoko more.

Even now as he stared into her face, Sho could feel this odd trembling in his hands. Kyoko was no longer the girl he remembered from the past. She changed completely. Kyoko wasn't his childhood friend anymore; she was a woman.

He had seen her plenty of times on television from her many dramas and movies. But to see her in person was almost surreal. Her amber gaze was fiery, her hair was longer and smooth, and her complexion was practically like satin. The clothes she wore clearly accentuated her slim figure and the way she held herself made her appear almost queen-like.

Shoko blinked in confusion at the musician's silence. "Sho? What's wr—?"

"OH MY GOD! IS THAT SHO?" a girl suddenly squealed.

"NO WAY!"

"IT'S SHO!"

"AND ISN'T THAT—?"

"WAIT, I SAW HER IN THE CHIC MAGAZINE!"

"IT'S KYOKO!"

"OH MY GOD, IT IS!"

"AHHHH!"

"Oh no," Shoko said with frantic eyes, turning towards the two stars who seemed to be rooted to the spot.

And before the two could even blink, they suddenly felt a firm grip around both of their wrists. Shoko, instantly in protector mode, quickly pulled them down a dark alleyway and towards a black car that was already parked at the end of the road. Hearing the loud footsteps of crazed fans chasing after them, she wrenched open the door and said in a breathless voice, "Inside you two! HURRY!"

Covering her head with his outstretched hand, Sho led a quite unwilling Kyoko inside the vehicle and sat down beside her as Shoko pulled the car door shut with a thud.

Everything happened so fast that Kyoko didn't even have time to voice her vehement refusal for being there. Out of all places to be in the world, sitting in THIS particular car didn't even crack her top one hundred. It was nothing like she could have expected at all. But before she could say anything, the vehicle was already beginning to make its way down the crowded road.

Breathing out heavily, Shoko said with a sheepish smile, "Sorry for dragging you like that, Kyoko. But I figured you didn't want to get caught by them either, right?"

Kyoko forced a strained smile and said, "You're right, Shoko-san, but I really need to get back. My friends are going to be worried."

"Where are they now?" Shoko asked.

"They're back at the Mark hotel."

"Well that isn't far at all. We'll drop you off," she insisted with a friendly smile.

Hating to impose and wanting nothing more than to get out of the car, Kyoko answered with a shake of her head, "It's okay, Shoko-san. I'll just walk. It's really hard to get close to the Mark Hotel and the walk isn't that far anyway."

"You want us to drop you off here?" Sho retorted, peering at her out of the corner of his eye. "With those hordes of people after you?"

Kyoko glared at his condescending tone. "I know how to take care of myself."

"Obviously you don't if you think walking back to the hotel is the safest option."

"Sho's right, Kyoko," Shoko cut in as she saw the actress angrily open her mouth. "It's not such a good idea to go on your own. People will recognize you in an instant now that you have been spotted."

"But I—!"

"Stop arguing," Sho interrupted. "You're being annoying. Besides, letting you off here means risking my neck and I don't need to be mobbed again."

Kyoko could feel the anger rolling off of her like waves—an anger she hadn't felt in a while. It was as if she suddenly went back in time, when no one but Sho could elicit such an irritation from her. He spoke to her as if she was some sort of child and it bothered her immensely.

"Since when do you make my choices for me?" Kyoko countered with hard eyes, trying to keep the frustration to a minimum.

"Since you were reckless enough to think a pair of sunglasses is enough as a disguise."

"THEY RECOGNIZED YOU FIRST!" she yelled hotly.

Sho snorted. "Then obviously I'm the bigger star."

"_EXCUSE ME?"_

"Kyoko!" Shoko jumped in nervously as she saw her familiar black aura begin to swirl in the small car. "I think what Sho means is that we're going to pass by the Mark Hotel anyway and that it's really no trouble to drop you off."

Breathing in deeply, Kyoko turned to face Shoko and said in a calmer voice, "I don't want to owe _him_ any favors, Shoko-san."

"Then don't owe me any," Sho replied as he crossed his long legs.

Kyoko turned to him with annoyed eyes. "What?"

"Don't owe me," he repeated. "There are plenty of ways to pay me back."

"What? You want money?"

He scoffed and shook his head. "I don't need something like that. I got plenty of money on my own. Why would I take yours?"

"Then what do you want?" Kyoko snapped angrily.

Sho suddenly leaned forward and touched his fingertips together. His lips were turned downward, as if there was something he was seriously contemplating. And just as Kyoko was going to demand an answer, his eyes slowly turned and met hers.

Kyoko froze in surprise.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked in a low voice.

Raising an eyebrow at the odd inquiry, she replied reluctantly, "Why do you want to know?"

"Just answer the damn question," Sho said in exasperation. "It's not that hard."

And oddly feeling challenged by his belittling tone, Kyoko said in an angrier voice than intended, "I have a meeting tomorrow with the CHIC editor."

"CHIC?" Shoko repeated. "Isn't that a fashion industry?"

Kyoko turned to her with surprise. "You know the company, Shoko-san?"

"Yes! I love their styles! Their clothes are not only affordable, but also really sophisticated. I didn't know you work there. What do you do, Kyoko?"

Smiling sheepishly, she ran a hand through her smooth hair and replied, "I model."

Shoko's jaw dropped open. "YOU _MODEL_?"

Sho's eyes instantly whipped to Kyoko, surprise pouring through his frozen veins. He practically looked like a deer caught in headlights.

Kyoko, who hadn't noticed Sho's stunned reaction, laughed nervously at his manager's outright disbelief. "Yeah, I had a hard time believing it too," she answered with flushed cheeks.

Shoko shook her head in awe as she breathed, "Wow, that's amazing, Kyoko! Being a model must be really hard! Although, I have to admit, I'm not too surprised."

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

Shoko suddenly laughed with a flail of her hand. "I guess you really don't see it, do you, Kyoko?"

She furrowed her eyebrows.

Laughing again, the manager replied with a smile, "Let's just say you're certainly model material."

Kyoko blushed profusely at her easy-going compliment and gave a tiny shake of her head. "Shoko-san, this is only a trial run. I'm not REALLY a model."

"But the fact that you're meeting with the editor of the magazine tomorrow means you're quite a big deal, doesn't it?"

"Well, it's not only me," Kyoko corrected in earnest. "The other models will be there as well."

"And what about afterwards?" Sho suddenly asked as he leaned back against the leather seat.

Kyoko's smile fell.

"What about it?" she asked, facing him.

"Are you free?"

"For what?"

"Lunch."

Her eyes widen. She must have heard wrong, but the look on Sho's face didn't change. He was dead serious.

"You…want to have—lunch?"

"Consider it the favor you owe me," Sho replied, linking his hands behind his head.

Kyoko didn't answer.

And seeing her obvious disinclination, he added under his breath, "Unless, of course, you want to go back on your word."

Her jaw tightened. Kyoko was never one to ignore a debt. For someone with so much pride, not fulfilling an owed favor was literally impossible. She was and always will be a woman of her word, no matter who she owed. And it was clear that this time around she had no other choice. There was no way out of this rut.

So with a stiff and resigned sigh, Kyoko asked, "Where?"

"I'll pick you up. I'm done by 11 o'clock right, Shoko?"

The manager, who was frozen with alarm at the sudden turn of events, nodded vigorously, replying in earnest, "Yes! You're free after that."

"Then it's settled," Sho said with a casual stretch of his arms, "I'll pick you up here—"

The vehicle pulled up to the Mark Hotel.

"—at 11:30. Is that good?"

Kyoko gave a curt nod, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

Then quickly blinking her eyes to clear the questions racing through her mind, Kyoko turned back towards Shoko and smiled. "It was great seeing you, Shoko-san."

"You too, Kyoko! Do your best tomorrow and have a good night."

"Thank you, you too."

And with one last look thrown over her shoulder at a stoic-looking Sho, Kyoko mumbled, "Tomorrow."

"Yeah," he answered.

Then with a soft thud of the door, Kyoko stepped onto the cold concrete floor and watched the black car drive away. She didn't move for quite a while until the tower clock over head began to chime. Instinctively, she took her phone out of her purse and realized that she had received 42 missed calls in the last ten minutes. Her fifteen minute walk had already turned into thirty minutes.

But as she walked inside the hotel, Kyoko couldn't stop thinking about what just happened. It all flashed by in such a blur that a part of her didn't even believe it. Seeing Sho again was something she would have never predicted, let alone seeing him in New York. Yet that wasn't what bothered her the most. The strangest thing that kept prickling in the back of her mind was the tension she felt from him every time he looked at her, as if there was something he wanted to say to her, but didn't have the courage to.

Kyoko warily leaned back against the wall as the golden elevator began to ascend. She had never felt so confused in her life. But if there was one thing she was sure of, it was that tomorrow's lunch wasn't going to be good.

* * *

><p>"Tsuruga-kun, may I have a word?" Director Hanata called to the young actor who had just stepped out of the theater.<p>

Turning around to his senior's voice, Ren obediently bowed his head and replied politely, "Of course, sir."

Walking over to a more secluded area, Director Hanata led Ren behind a tall pillar and smiled warmly. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your phenomenal work in this movie. You certainly brought my vision to life and I couldn't have done it without your brilliant acting."

Touched, but also in slight disagreement with his praise, Ren replied with a shake of his head, "Director, it was your plot that allowed me to play such an invigorating character. I can't tell you how deeply I appreciate the opportunity to have a part in your film."

"Well," he began with a deep chuckle and a strong clap of the actor's shoulder, "I hope you don't think that this will be the last project we have together. I already have another movie in mind."

Ren laughed. "You're always thinking, even when you're on a break."

Grinning widely, he answered, "It's the curse of being a director. Hearing the great success of FUGITIVE has certainly given me quite an energy boost to go farther. So I would like you to consider being a part of this next film as well, Tsuruga-kun."

"I would be honored sir," he replied humbly.

"Great! Then I'll send you the script as soon as I can and you can tell me what you think about the role."

Ren nodded. "Of course, sir. Thank you."

"So will you be going to the after-party with the cast later?" Director Hanata asked curiously.

Shaking his head with a sheepish smile, Ren answered, "I don't think so. I'm feeling a little worn out and I think it would be best to go home."

He nodded in understanding. "It's been a pretty hectic month for you, hasn't it?"

"Yes, but it was all worth it," Ren said with a laugh.

Director Hanata smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, Tsuruga-kun," he replied. "Well, I won't keep you. I know you probably want to go straight home before people start holding you captive."

Ren laughed and nodded. "Thank you, director. And congratulations on your movie."

"You too, Tsuruga-kun! You too!"

And with one last hand-shake, Ren made his way through the crowd, quietly bidding farewell and only smiling politely in reply when people started to complain about his early exit. Within a few feet from the front door, he was just about to smoothly step through when a hand suddenly reached out for his wrist.

Ren quickly turned around and saw Yukari looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"And where do you think you're going, Mr. Superstar?"

Chuckling, he replied, "I'm going home, Yukari-san."

"Now?" she asked in surprise, stepping closer to him. "We still have the party to go to, Ren. You can't leave. As the main star, how can you not show up for the movie celebration?"

"I think you are more than enough to represent the film, Yukari-san. You don't need me there."

Her eyes hardened. "Ren, you can't just leave me. We came here together, didn't we?"

"The other cast members will be there, Yukari-san. You don't need me," Ren assured.

Unconvinced and more than determined to make him stay, Yukari wrapped her arm around his and said in a firm tone, "I want my co-star there with me. You and I play love interests in the movie, Ren. Don't you think it's odd for me to be there and not you?"

Ren stared at her stern expression for a while, his face completely devoid of all emotion. But even in his silence, Yukari didn't back down. She knew that in time Ren was going to give into her. He was too much of a gentleman to turn down a girl, especially a girl he knew.

But then to her alarm, he suddenly removed his arm from hers.

Yukari's eyes widen.

"It's as you say, Yukari-san," Ren murmured gently. "We do play love interests in the movie."

His eyes darkened. "But I'm not Takeishi."

As soon as the statement left his lips, she unwillingly took a step back, feeling as if a barrier was suddenly placed in between them. She had no idea why, but right at that moment, Yukari felt as if he had completely pushed her away. He wasn't the gentle person she thought knew at all. The look in his eyes belonged to someone else entirely, someone who was undeniably more frightening. Ren had never looked more intimidating or so far out of reach.

But with a nervous laugh to conceal her quite blatant alarm, Yukari replied, "I know that, Ren. You're being so silly. I'm not asking you to stay as Takeishi. I want you, as Ren, to be here."

"If so, then I'm afraid I have to decline," he said softly with a shake of his head. "There's somewhere else I want to be."

She fell silent, his response cutting deep. Yukari knew exactly what he meant, but it didn't make the rejection any easier to handle. It nearly crippled her ability to speak.

But refusing to give up so easily, she murmured under her breath, "Going home won't make it better. It's not like she'll be there."

Ren smiled sadly. "I know, but being here won't help at all."

"Ren, you have me! I can—!"

"Yukari-san."

She stopped.

"Please do not ask me to choose between you and my wife."

That was it.

Yukari's breath completely escaped her. He said nothing out of the ordinary. His comment wasn't even remotely rude, but his distinction was as sharp and clear as the pain that rippled through her. She didn't have the voice to say anything anymore. How could she respond to something that explained so plainly how futile her efforts were?

Yukari wasn't stupid. She knew she was standing on thin ice from the very beginning, but her prospects were never nonexistent. There was still always a chance.

But as she helplessly stared into his hard brown eyes, Yukari knew in an instant that she wasn't standing anymore. The ice around her had full melted and Ren wasn't going to be the one to save her.

Hurt, the actress turned away from him and mumbled, "Right..."

Ren's gaze softened. It was something he didn't want to say, but at the same time realized that he had to. He couldn't put it off any more. Every minute he let pass, he was allowing Yukari to fall deeper into a delusion that would only hurt her in the end. But quietly stepping forward, he placed a warm hand over hers which naturally pulled her attention to his face.

He smiled gently and replied in a quiet voice, "Thank you, Yukari-san."

She nodded.

And with one last smile, Ren turned around and walked out the double doors, feeling oddly exhausted and quite drained. Somehow, it felt as if everything that had happened this past month had crashed into him all at once. His head had suddenly felt so heavy.

Once inside the empty lobby, he was just about to step outside into the cool air when he saw his manager casually standing at the opposite wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

Yashiro warily shook his head at Ren's confused expression with a small smile at the corner of his lips.

Ren automatically approached him, his eyebrows furrowed with puzzlement.

"You finally did something about her," Yashiro pointed out with a nod at his silent question. "Took you long enough."

Ren sighed heavily, not even bothering to criticize him for spying. "I didn't do anything about her. I just explained why I couldn't accompany her to the party."

Rolling his eyes, Yashiro took a step forward and said, "Fine, say it however you want. I'm just satisfied that she got the message."

Ren smiled warily. Then with hopeful eyes, he fully turned to his manager and asked in a surprisingly quiet tone, "Any word from her?"

Yashiro shook his head sympathetically. "No, I didn't get anything, but that's probably because she assumes you're at the after-party celebration. Isn't that what you normally do after a premiere?"

Realizing that Yashiro was right, Ren nodded and replied, "That's true. She would never call me if she knew I was busy."

"Exactly, but I'm sure if you call her, she'll pick up."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you comfortable with raising my expectations so high without any guarantee whatsoever?"

Chuckling and leading the young actor out the private back exit, Yashiro said with ease, "It's fine. Knowing Kyoko-chan, she's probably waiting for your call right now."

Ren smiled, feeling better already.

"But you should probably call her when you're at home," Yashiro advised as he opened the metallic door. "The more privacy, the better."

Ren agreed with a nod of his head.

"Then I'll tell the valet to call a taxi."

So after returning Ren his cell phone, Yashiro walked in the other direction and left the young actor standing at the back door. He flipped the device open and felt a strong urge to call his wife right then. As he stared down at her name, Ren realized that there was no way he was going to last another two months without her. He was crumbling fast.

But just as he flipped his cell phone shut, it suddenly vibrated.

Adrenaline rushing through his veins like flooding water, Ren quickly brought the device to his ear without looking at the screen and answered in earnest, "Kyoko?"

"No. Daddy."

Ren blinked in surprise before letting out a wary exhale as it finally hit him who just answered. Running a hand through his hair, he mumbled in an unintentionally miserable voice, "Hi Father."

"And what's with that tone?" Kuu answered with narrowed eyes. "I took time to call you and that's how you answer me? I knew I should have called Kyoko first."

"No, no," Ren replied with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I'm glad you called, really. I was just expecting to hear from her."

Kuu chuckled, oddly touched by the longing in his son's voice. So with an amused smile, he asked casually, "How are you holding up anyway?"

No response.

Laughing louder, Kuu reassured gently, "I figured. Your mother warned me this would happen."

"How's mother?"

"She's well," Kuu said with a bright smile. "She's not home right now, but I think she'll call you when she gets back."

Ren nodded. "Alright."

"So now that the premiere of your movie is done—congrats by the way—when are you planning on flying to New York?"

Ren leaned back against the wall and replied in a thoughtful voice, "I was hoping sometime by the end of next week. I have a couple more appointments lined up, but after that I'll be free. And Kyoko has told me she wanted to come see you and Mother for a while too so I think both of us will stop by then."

Clicking his tongue in agreement and his mood easily lifted froom seeing his children, Kuu replied happily, "Good, I like the sound of that plan. Your mother and I had actually wanted to go see Kyoko sometime earlier this month, but we figured she would be swamped with her modeling jobs and would stretch herself out pretty thin to accommodate us."

"From what she's told me, she does sound busy," Ren answered.

"Well, that just means she's doing well. She's probably making it big already. And you know Kuon, now that I think about it, being in New York is a good change for Kyoko."

Ren glared.

And knowing full well what his son's response will be (angry and irritated for toying with his vulnerable state), Kuu added with a hearty laugh, "Now now, Kuon, I'm not saying it's good for her to be away from you. What I mean is that New York has a lot of important people she can meet. It will be a good way for her to break out of Japan. Eventually, all celebrities try to make it to New York at least once in their life."

Sighing in defeat, he replied calmly, "You're right. It will be good for her career."

"Exactly! I've already met quite a few Japanese actors here, you know."

Ren raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yes, they were telling me about their new projects. They all seem to be adapting well. Still, it's not only actors and actresses who come to New York," Kuu explained.

"Who else?" Ren asked with a curious expression.

Kuu fluidly sat down on his couch and suddenly picked up a thin piece of paper, raising it to his blue eyes. "Well for instance, today, while I was walking on set, I saw an ad for a musical concert this upcoming weekend. And to my surprise, it was featuring a Japanese musician!"

Kuu shook his head in wonder and leaned back against the leather seat.

"I can't say I recognize his name," he continued on thoughtfully, "but I have to admit I was quite surprised. He looked so young to be performing on such a big stage. I guess he's pretty famous back home, right Kuon?"

…

"Kuon? Is everything alright?"

"What was his name?" Ren murmured quietly.

"Hmm?"

"His name."

"Oh!" Kuu replied in surprise, puzzled by his son's odd interest.

"I think it was something along the lines of…Fuwa Sho."


	11. Chapter 11: Past Confessions

Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update. Just finished the first wave of midterms. XD Anyway, thank you for the great reviews and positive support. It means so much and I hope you like the next installment! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>"It's okay, Ami-san. I'm already back at the hotel," Kyoko said as she closed the suite door behind her.<p>

"We can have lunch another time," the young actress insisted into her cell phone. She suddenly let out a laugh. "Yes, I promise I will be there."

And after hearing her friend's reply, Kyoko smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you, Ami-san. Please tell the others I'm sorry as well. Okay. Alright then. I'll see you later. Bye."

Flipping the phone shut, Kyoko sighed in shame as she began to make her down towards the main lobby. Out of all things she hated the most it would have to be deceiving someone—especially a friend. She could already taste the bitterness in her mouth for not telling Ami the truth about why she denied coming to lunch.

But at the same time, Kyoko couldn't exactly tell them where she was going either. If they knew, her friends would certainly want to come along. And since she was already dreading the event, the presence of her friends would probably only stress her out even more.

Because this time around, Kyoko knew that this wasn't going to be a normal eating out. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that something bad was going to come out of this. There was no way he just wanted to eat, let alone let her pay off a debt by only making her treat for lunch. He would never be that considerate.

"_Well, a considerate guy wouldn't ask me to owe him a favor in the first place," _Kyoko silently countered with a roll of her eyes as she finally reached the last set of stairs. She could have easily taken the elevator, but she figured the long way down would give her time to collect her thoughts.

It had been over four years since she last saw Sho and to be honest, Kyoko wasn't entirely sure of how to act around him. A part of her said to just be herself, but at the same time, she wasn't sure she could. Any feelings she had for Sho had changed completely over the years, so obviously acting like herself wouldn't really be "herself" in his eyes.

Kyoko groaned and ran a hand through her hair.

"_Maybe agreeing to this lunch was a bad idea after all."_

Pushing open the door, Kyoko stepped out into the brightly lit lobby from the back and surprisingly saw more people on the marbled floor than she thought. Some people were huddled together, whispering away, and others seemed to be staring at something near the door. But deciding to dismiss the thought, Kyoko casually walked towards the center of the shiny floor and was about to go through the front doors when something caught the corner of her eye.

She swiftly turned her head to the side and felt her eyes widen in surprise.

Sho stood by the golden pillar, leaning against the carved stone with his arms crossed firmly over his chest. Kyoko remained rooted to the spot as his gaze finally met hers. He fluidly straightened up and made his way across. Everyone in the lobby seemed to be watching him, and naturally they turned to Kyoko as well as they realized the two were somehow affiliated with each other.

Silently stepping in front of her, Sho stuck both of his hands into the pocket of his jeans and asked in a low voice, "Ready?"

Kyoko gave a tiny nod of her head. "How long have you been waiting there?"

"Ten minutes or so."

"I thought you said 11:30?" Kyoko asked.

He shrugged, replying, "The practice went smoother than I thought."

"Practice? For what?"

Shaking his head, Sho answered, "Later. Let's get out of here before the real traffic hits."

Kyoko made an agreeing sound in the back of her throat as she obediently followed him out the door. She could feel the many pair of eyes staring at her back, but she was too afraid to turn around. Ignoring them all was for the best anyway. That way, they wouldn't think this was too strange of a situation, no matter how "weirded-out" Kyoko truly felt.

Sho suddenly turned around to look at her. "Anything wrong?" he asked.

She quickly raised her gaze to his and shook her head. "No, why?"

"You're walking really slowly."

"It's nothing," she said, quickening her pace until she stood beside him. "I'm just wondering where we're going."

"It's a private place down the street so you don't have to worry about reporters or anything."

Kyoko nodded. But to be honest, she didn't think about that at all. The last thing she was concerned about was the paparazzi. Right now, the only thing pestering her was him and what exactly was his true motive for getting her out here. As soon as she stepped onto the cool street, she noticed that the same vehicle last night was already parked near the curb. Sho smoothly opened the black door and stood off to the side, patiently waiting behind the door.

Hesitantly, she boarded the car first, feeling as if her debt had increased even more as she accepted another favor from him. Once he sat down beside her, the driver automatically began to maneuver the car onto the road without a word. Kyoko leaned back against the seat, keeping her eyes upon the window.

It was the same feeling she had last night. She REALLY didn't want to be here.

"How was the meeting?" he suddenly asked in, what sounded like to Kyoko, a very bored voice.

"Fine," she answered simply, turning to him. "How about you?"

He shrugged. "I finished what I needed to do."

"What are you doing in New York anyway?" Kyoko asked with furrowed eyebrows. "You didn't tell me why you're here last night."

"What else do you think I'm doing?" he answered with a patronizing laugh. "I'm recording music."

"Well, why not in Japan?" she asked with a glare, irritated by his condescending tone.

Stretching his arms, he replied, "I got another recording label here. Besides, Japan is starting to get old. I'm more than ready to leave."

Kyoko smiled grimly and shook her head. "You're an idiot."

"What the hell? Where did that come from?" Sho asked angrily.

Peering at him out of the corner of her eye, she said in a hard voice, "There's nothing like being at home."

Sho scoffed with a shake of his head. "What? Are you homesick or something?"

Kyoko didn't reply as she leaned her chin into the palm of her hand, returning her focus back outside the window.

Sho, however, continued to stare at her subdued expression with silent astonishment. No matter how long he looked, he couldn't understand exactly what she was thinking about. It was harder to read her thoughts now, unlike before when everything was spelled out upon her face. She seemed to have more control of her emotions which oddly enough frustrated him even more.

"If you want to go home so badly, why don't you?" he asked in a harsher tone than intended.

Kyoko rolled her eyes as she unwillingly turned to look at him. "You're seriously asking me that?"

"Is your job more important than going home?"

"My _goal_ is more important than the sacrifices I have to make," she countered.

"And what's your goal?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She fully turned to face him with hard-set eyes. "To become the best star I can be," Kyoko answered, determination ringing in every word.

"That's all?"

"Why else?" Kyoko asked with a puzzled frown.

Sho suddenly turned his eyes to the carpeted floor, his jaw clenched tightly. Then in an oddly soft murmur, he said under his breath, "It's different than from what I last remembered."

Kyoko blinked back in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I thought your goal was to beat me."

She stopped, staring at his calculative gaze that looked up at her.

Sho didn't break eye contact at all. He just stared into her shocked expression as he waited—or rather demanded—for an answer. Kyoko didn't understand the look in his face; in a way, it felt like he was expecting something from her.

But with a tiny shake of her head, she replied, "I don't need to do that anymore."

"Why? Because you think you beat me?" he asked as he sat up straighter, the disbelief evident in his voice.

She easily shook her head again. "No."

"Then why?"

"Because it's not important anymore."

Sho fell silent.

The atmosphere in the car changed in a heartbeat. There was nothing else to say after that. Sho slowly turned his eyes in the other direction as Kyoko kept her attention upon her lap. The uncomfortable silence stretched on, but no one said a word. Not a single sound or breath could be heard.

But just as Sho was about to open his mouth from sheer anxiety, his words suddenly fell short as he heard his driver call from the front, "We're here, Fuwa-san."

The musician quickly cleared his throat and nodded.

"Let's go," he said to Kyoko without looking at her.

Noticing his refusal to meet her eyes, Kyoko followed him out of the car and stepped onto the pavement. They stood in front of what appeared to be a very high-end French restaurant with marble pillars and ceramic structures. Kyoko couldn't stop the awed look in her eyes. It looked like a place for royalty. But when she was about to step forward, Sho suddenly stretched out an arm in front of her.

"We're not eating here," he explained.

She raised an eyebrow. "We're not? Then why did we stop here?"

"Change of plans."

Then swiftly turning in the opposite direction, Sho silently continued down the street with Kyoko trailing after him. She didn't understand him at all. The way his shoulders were slumped and the odd tone of his voice were so out of character. She didn't know what to do except stare at his back as he led her away.

After a few minutes of walking, Sho suddenly entered a building that didn't have a name. Kyoko moved her head around in curiosity as she walked through the glass doors and realized that it was a place filled with tiny Asian restaurants—like a plaza of sorts. The smell of noodles and fried squid elicited a smile at the corner of her lips. It was almost like home.

"Wait here," Sho called over his shoulder.

He then walked into a Japanese restaurant and talked to the man at the podium. Hiding behind a tall bush to avoid being spotted by the people sitting around her, she watched him say something to the concierge whose eyes widened in surprise when he realized who EXACTLY he was talking to. And after vigorous nodding and bowing, the man scurried away.

Sho turned around and gave her a flick of his hand. Instinctively, Kyoko walked over and entered the restaurant, curiosity coloring her face.

"What was that?"

Shaking his head, Sho replied, "I just told him to prepare a private room for us. We obviously can't eat out here without getting mobbed."

Kyoko didn't answer as she looked up at him. He still wasn't meeting her eyes.

But she didn't have the chance to say anything because the concierge and his manager instantly came rushing back. Their constant bowing and exclamations of "thank-you's" bothered her immensely, but Sho didn't seem to care. The two men led them up a flight of stairs in the back and there sitting in a secluded, warm loft was a table set just for two.

"Please eat here, Fuwa-san," the manager gestured with a wide smile. "If you and Mogami-san need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

He gave a curt nod. "Thank you."

And after more bows and flustered good-byes, the two men walked down the stairs, leaving the couple on their own.

There was just one tiny table in the center of the room. It was placed in front of a large, oval glass window that overlooked the city. The loft was made to look like an outdoor temple, with cherry blossoms everywhere and a pond of coy fish to the side. Her heels clicked upon the stone-like floor as she approached the table that was decorated with colorful origami lotus flowers and cranes.

Kyoko suddenly turned around. "Why did you change your mind?"

"What?"

"Why aren't we eating at the place you made reservations for?" she asked in an unwavering voice.

He shrugged, replying, "I'm not in the mood for French."

She laughed with a sigh. "You can never be honest, can you?" Kyoko pointed out.

Sho raised his head in surprise as she looked back at him.

"You chose here because I said I missed home."

It wasn't a question. Kyoko just stared directly into his frozen eyes that seemed to show no emotion at all. Then with a weary shake of her head, she pulled out the chair and sat down. "You didn't have to do that."

He didn't answer.

"But nevertheless, thank you," she said with a gentle smile.

Sho's eyes widen.

It was genuine.

So much time had passed since he had last seen it that Sho had completely forgotten what it was like to see her happy. He completely forgot the warmth that spread all the way to his fingertips every time she smiled. He completely forgot how good it made him feel.

But quickly pushing the thought out of his head, he silently walked forward and took the chair across from her. "You were whining about it so much, I obviously had to change my plans."

Kyoko rolled her eyes at his pathetic excuse and replied, "Being considerate isn't necessarily a bad thing, you know."

Sho didn't answer.

And realizing that he wasn't going to say anything else, Kyoko decided to turn her eyes away from him and instead look at the pond behind her. She gazed warmly at the bright fish that swam around in circles. She always loved to look at fish. No matter what was going on around them, they were always at peace with the world, enjoying their simple life with the utmost grace. She smiled and was about to reach out a hand when Sho suddenly asked:

"Are you happy?"

Kyoko's head instantly whipped towards him, noticing the dark look in his eyes. From the tone of his voice, she knew that his question was much more complicated than it sounded. Sho wasn't talking about the current moment at all.

And after a slight pause, she fully turned back to him and held both of her hands upon the wooden table. "I am," Kyoko replied honestly. "I like how my life is right now."

Sho's eyes quickly darted away from her face, but as soon as his focus changed, his attention fell upon something he never wanted to see at all. The corners of his lips instantly turned downward as he stared at the silver band around her finger.

The sting that ran through his veins was sharp. It was the first time in a while that he had felt something so crippling.

In the last few years, Sho understood better than anyone that she had moved on. She had her own life to live now, a life that didn't include him anymore. But to see the evidence so clearly with his own eyes practically choked him for words. It was almost as if it was taunting him. Still, he couldn't stop staring at ring. The circular band gleamed in the sunlight, not allowing him to forget even for a moment.

Clenching his hands tightly in his lap, Sho asked under his breath, "Why isn't he here with you?"

Kyoko narrowed her eyes in confusion as he slowly raised his head.

"If he was here, you wouldn't have agreed to come today," he continued.

She shook her head and frowned. "I owe you a debt. I would have come no matter what," she replied, understanding that he was asking about her husband.

Sho scoffed.

"As for Ren," Kyoko explained patiently as if uninterrupted, "he's back in Japan. I'm the only one here on business."

Feeling oddly irritated at hearing her say his name, Sho's eyes narrowed as he grumbled, "He chose work instead of being here with you? Figures."

Kyoko's jaw tightened. Then laughing darkly, she said with a nonchalant wave of her hand, "Of course. You're absolutely right. As my husband, he would certainly just leave me here of his own free will."

Sho tensed at her sarcastic tone.

Then with clearly angered eyes, Kyoko said in a cold voice, "Don't act like you know him."

But just as he was about to respond, two servers had already climbed the wooden stairs and began to set down large plates of sushi and sashimi before them. Kyoko kept her eyes on the food, waiting for her frustration to subside. Belittling her was one thing, but insulting Ren was certainly not something she would take lightly. Only Sho would be stupid enough to cross that line.

As soon as the servers left, Kyoko placed the thick napkin over her lap and picked up the pair of chopsticks in front of her. Sho followed suit and when he realized she still looked annoyed, he sighed heavily.

"Relax. I didn't mean much by it."

Kyoko's eyes narrowed, her black aurora slowly beginning to rise at his weary tone. "Then don't say stupid things."

"It's stupid to ask why you're here and he's not?" he retorted back. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks it's strange."

"He's not here because I told him not to be here," she answered in an equally hard voice.

Sho's eyes suddenly widen in surprise.

"Wait, you…don't want him here?"

She scoffed.

"Of course I do," Kyoko said with an irritated shake of her head as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "But that doesn't mean I would force him to choose between me and his career."

"His career?" Sho repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

Kyoko sighed and met his puzzled gaze. "Asking him to come with me to New York would mean asking him to put his job on hold. I won't do that to him."

"But you want him here," he said again, pressing the matter further. "Isn't that important?"

Shaking her head, she replied in a quiet voice, "But I care about his happiness more."

With just that one simple statement, Sho could suddenly hear a familiar young girl's voice playing in the back of his mind, saying in earnest how she would do just about anything and everything for him, and how nothing in the world mattered more than his own success and joy. It was suddenly all he could hear.

And as he stared into her softened expression that gazed down at her wedding ring, he realized with a pang that he was wrong. Kyoko had never really changed. She was still the same girl he remembered.

The only thing different was the person who now had the piece of her heart he had lost. From the look in her eyes, Sho could easily tell that there was no room for anyone else but him. Her feelings had never been clearer.

"Would he do the same for you?" Sho murmured.

Kyoko smiled warmly. "He would," she whispered with a nod.

Sho didn't respond after that. He didn't have the heart to say anything anymore. So as they ate in silence, commenting on the food every now and then, he finally noticed what it was that changed between him and her.

Over the years, even when they hadn't said a word to each other, even when they hadn't caught a glimpse of each other, Sho would somehow find himself thinking about her—especially at times when he was alone. It was always a fleeting moment that never lasted for more than a couple of seconds, but in that short period of time, he would strangely feel hollow on the inside—as if there was something missing in his life.

He never gave much thought about it until he heard of Kyoko's marriage. Sho could remember everything about that day: how he was sitting on the couch in his hotel room, how the remote was slipping out of his grasp, and how his eyes wouldn't leave the television set as pictures of her and her soon-to-be husband flitted across the screen. Sho didn't know what he was feeling then. Sure, he felt angry and maybe even a little sad, but the news wasn't so debilitating that he couldn't accept it. In fact, Sho had even sent a text to that guy to prove he was fine.

But the strange pain that rippled through him every time he thought about it didn't seem to make sense at all.

Only now, as they sat across from each other and he could see the content look in her eyes, does he finally understand why it bothered him so deeply to see a wedding ring on her finger. Although he was the one who abandoned her, it felt like Kyoko had finally caught up and walked away without another look back.

_He_ was now the one who was left behind.

By the time lunch was over and they had called a taxi to get back to the Mark Hotel, Sho still hadn't said anything substantial to Kyoko. It was like everything inside him was on pause. He didn't know what to say anymore because in reality, none of it mattered. Everything had already changed and there was nothing else he could do.

Before he realized it, the two had already stepped out of the vehicle and stood in front of the hotel. Sho followed her inside the practically empty lobby and walked behind her until she stood before the golden elevator and pushed the button.

And knowing that he had to say something by now, Sho opened his mouth and was about to say good-bye when she suddenly asked:

"Are you happy?"

He froze.

Kyoko slowly turned around at his silence and met his astonished gaze.

"Do you like your life right now?" she asked.

Sho didn't answer immediately. Reflexively, he wanted to say yes. His career as a musician was doing well and his music was getting better by the day. But as he gazed into her amber eyes, he realized that that wasn't what he wanted to say at all.

Then with a heavy sigh, he answered, "It doesn't really matter, does it? It's not like I can change anything."

"And what would that be?" Kyoko asked.

He smiled grimly. "I don't think you want to know."

"Try me."

Sho laughed and ran a hand through his golden hair. "Why do you suddenly care about my life? It's not like it affects you."

Nodding, she replied, "True, it doesn't. But since you asked me, isn't it fair that I ask you?"

"You want to be fair? Even to me?"

Kyoko warily shook her head and smiled, replying, "Yes, even to you."

"Are you forgetting who you're talking to?" Sho asked in disbelief. "You do realize it's me, right?"

Her eyes hardened. Then oddly murmuring under her breath, she answered, "The past is the past. Like I said earlier, it's not important anymore."

"So you don't think about it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Why should I? It's not like I can do anything about it."

"Do you want to?"

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Would you want to change the past?" Sho asked again, a slight desperation in his voice.

Laughing nervously at his strange penetrating gaze, Kyoko said, "What kind of question is that? Why would I want to?"

"What if I said I wanted to?"

Her eyes widen.

Sho took a step forward. He had no idea where this was coming from. The words were practically slipping out of his mouth like running water. It was like he lost all self-control.

"What if I said I wanted to change what happened between us five years ago?" he said in a serious tone.

Kyoko stared at him in complete silence. She couldn't say anything even if she tried. At first, she thought she heard wrong, but the look in his face was so solemn that she could feel the nervousness from earlier begin to rise from the pit of her stomach. Kyoko didn't know what to do. His gaze bore deep into her.

"You might not want to change the past, but I do," he confessed softly.

"If I had known that this was how things were going to be," Sho whispered, moving his eyes to the floor, "I would have never said anything that day."

He suddenly let out a tired laugh.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

As the words left his lips, Sho could feel his body beginning to become lighter and lighter as he realized that he had wanted to say this for so long. They were sentiments that were bottled up inside of him, pushing for release that his stubborn side refused to set free. Although it immensely hurt his pride to voice such weakness, Sho understood that he couldn't deny it anymore.

He sighed heavily.

"It wasn't what I wanted at all."

And just as he was about to continue, she suddenly said in a low voice,

"But I did."

Sho looked at her in surprise.

The color in her face had finally returned as she shook her head with downcast eyes and said, "I didn't want it then, but now that I think about it, I'm glad you were honest with me. Because if not…"

Kyoko smiled darkly.

"…I would still be hopelessly in love with you."

Sho's heart thumped painfully in his chest. He could see the obvious traces of anger in her face, but at the same time, there was an ache that somehow dulled the usual vibrant color of her eyes. It was so hard to look, but at the same time, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

"I never meant to hurt you," he said in an almost pleading-like voice.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters!" Sho snapped angrily, feeling his frustration rise. "Even now, it still matters!"

"WHY?" she asked back just as loudly. "Why should it matter? It's over already!"

"Because I didn't mean a word of it!"

"WHAT?"

"I never meant what I said!"

"How could you not mean it?"

"Because I—!"

Sho suddenly hissed and clenched his hands tightly at his sides. He gritted his teeth together in irritation as his arms shook like leaves. He could feel the waves of emotion rolling off of him by now. He had never felt so keyed up in his life. But Kyoko continued to stare into him, prompting him to speak.

He let out a shaky breath.

"Because I…"

Kyoko raised an eyebrow.

"Because what?"

Out of all things to happen, he would have never guessed that today was going to come to something like this. Sho didn't plan it at all, but here was the moment for him to be honest with himself and her. For so many years, he was able to talk himself into a reality that didn't exist. Through his own ignorance, he was able to persuade himself out of an answer that was right in front of his eyes. But now, Kyoko was giving him a chance to be sincere. She was truly asking him to say what was on his mind.

Sho sighed softly.

"Kyoko," he began in a quiet voice, "I…even now, I still—"

She gasped sharply.

In an instant, Sho raised his head in surprise at her response. At first, he thought she had finally become aware of his true emotions—as if she finally saw him for who he truly was. But when he looked at her face, he realized she wasn't looking at him at all. Her eyes were completely focused on something else behind him.

As Kyoko raised a trembling hand to her now open mouth, the musician quickly turned around in confusion and felt his heart come to a dead stop in his chest.

The three words he had wanted to say for so long were suddenly lodged in the middle of his throat. But this time around, that was where they were going to stay because he bitterly realized with a heavy heart that he was far too late.

Sho stood frozen with surprise and disappointment, his arms hanging feebly at his sides, as Kyoko murmured in the softest voice a name he hated above all:

"Ren…"


	12. Chapter 12: Her Savior

Hi everyone! Wow, it feels like ages since the last time I updated. I'm so sorry for the delay. School has been a little hectic (as always) and I really want to thank you for clicking on this link and continuing on. It took a while to write this installment, but hopefully you all like it. Once again, thanks for reading and sorry for the long wait! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>There were many things going through Ren's mind. It was difficult to discern one thought from the next. In a way, it felt like a million things were happening all at once. Everything was put on fast-forward and he barely had time to take a breath before his mind had raced to another emotion. But even though it seemed as if everything was going haywire, there was one important feeling that was oddly absent within his tumultuous mind.<p>

Surprise.

Out of all things he should be feeling, surprise was _(surprisingly enough)_ not one of them. Even as their hard gazes met, even when their bodies instantly tensed at the sight of each other, both men remained composed. Sho didn't move and Ren had barely reacted. It was almost as if they had already expected to meet.

But no matter whom it was, Ren's attention couldn't be held for very long. For in just a blink of an eye, his gaze quickly flickered to the person standing in the far back. His heart came to a fluid stop as his eyes took in every contour of her beautiful face. She stood about twenty feet away, with one slender hand over her mouth and her body as still as a statue. Dressed in sleek trousers, black heels, and a fitted blazer, she stared directly into his now softened eyes as if nobody else in this world existed. Surprise was certainly blatant in her expression, but even Ren could tell that she was overcome with joy and that was the warmest feeling he had felt in a while.

Kyoko's amber eyes instantly began to tear as her lips curved into the sweetest smile. Then with a breathless giggle, she broke into a swift run and leapt into his already open arms. As soon as their bodies touched, all the misery and longing Ren had felt in the past month vanished into thin air. The smell of her hair and the warmth of her arms around his neck nearly crippled his ability to speak. He had no idea just how much he missed her.

"Ren," she whispered lovingly into his ear, her eyes closed in pure contentment.

He nuzzled his face into her neck, murmuring, "I missed you so much, Kyoko."

"This can't be happening," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm dreaming."

Strengthening his grip around her slim waist, he murmured with an amused smile against her hair, "Then I hope with every fiber of my being that this dream will never end."

Kyoko laughed and leaned back to get a better look at him.

Even though he was in her arms, Kyoko couldn't stop the disbelief from coursing through her veins. It was just too perfect. She stared into his face and realized that her husband hadn't changed in the slightest. His hair was as silky as ever, his eyes were warm, and his smile was as breathtaking as the stars. Gently running the back of her hand across his cheek, Kyoko asked, "I still can't believe you're here."

His smile broadened. "Shall I prove it to you then?" Ren replied in a lower voice, touching his nose to hers.

Blushing profusely, Kyoko's vision began to blur as he slowly leaned forward. And before a reply was spoken, his familiar lips smoothly pressed against hers. Her body practically went limp in his arms. The kiss was slow and gentle, but she could sense the subtle passion just boiling underneath. Ren was clearly holding himself back and at that moment Kyoko wanted nothing more than to have everything disappear around her except for the man she loved more than life itself.

When the kiss ended, the couple resurfaced with a sweet smile and a rapidly beating heart. Gently, Ren released his wife until her feet touched the floor, keeping his arms around her waist.

"You really are here," she said with a breathless giggle.

He nodded with a bright smile. "You know I can't leave you for long."

"But why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Kyoko asked. "I would have met you at the airport."

"I wanted to surprise you," Ren answered.

"Is that all?"

Ren and Kyoko turned around at the sharp voice.

The musician sneered as he met their confused gazes, replying, "You always seemed to know everything that's going on, don't you? You really do have impeccable timing, Tsuruga."

Kyoko's eyebrows instantly furrowed. The obvious frustration in Sho's voice and his biting remark completely caught her off guard.

"_Why is he angry?"_

But while Kyoko tried to decipher his hardened expression, Sho on the other hand, was trying very hard to calm down. He could barely contain the anger that was pulsating throughout his body. It was more than just the fact that _he_ showed up, but the one chance he had, the one chance to finally fix everything between him and Kyoko was snatched away. Sho understood better than anyone that this wasn't a coincidence. In fact, Sho would have bet his life that this man's "surprise" appearance was planned right from the start.

"Was I interrupting?" Ren asked unaffectedly, restraining his desire to pull Kyoko behind him. "Or were you in the middle of something important?"

"As a matter of fact, I was."

Ren's eyes darkened. "With my wife?"

Sho didn't reply, feeling the bile rise up in his throat from just hearing the word come from his mouth.

Shaking his head, Ren continued, "Well, as her husband, I have to admit I find that unpleasant."

"Are you afraid?" Sho whispered fearlessly.

In an instant, the atmosphere dropped. It was amazing how quickly things could change without any warning whatsoever. Kyoko felt the hair on her arm stand on end as she watched the aura around her husband darken until it was as black as motor oil. His body didn't react in any way, but even a blind person could tell that something was wrong.

Naturally, Kyoko was going to reprimand Sho for his idiotic ways when Ren suddenly stepped forward. Sho didn't back away, but it was evident in his eyes that he truly wanted to.

"And what should I be afraid of?" Ren murmured in a voice that would have frozen fire.

Sho's eyes widen as he watched the drastic change in Ren's face. He knew this expression of the actor's well. Even after this many years, Sho could never forget that one day when he and Ren had that falling-out at his apartment. The coldness in his voice, the slight trembling of his clenched hands, and the murderous look in his brown eyes made it clear that he was done playing games. Sho had clearly struck a nerve.

"You tell me," Sho finally managed to reply when his voice returned. "You look riled up, Tsuruga."

Ren's hand instantly clenched into a tight fist. He thought that after all this time, he had finally achieved the ability to remain calm around this man, but it was all too clear that he would never have the strength to. Sho would always be that one glaring exception.

But just as Ren was about to open his mouth to respond, Kyoko suddenly stepped up and placed a hand upon her husband's stiffened arm, saying irritably to the musician, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but that's enough, Sho."

"Why don't you ask him then?" he gestured with a flick of his head in an equally annoyed voice. "Then you'll know exactly what I mean."

Kyoko glared. "It's not him, I don't get. It's you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You tell me you want to change, but you continue acting like the idiot you always were. Some change," she scoffed.

Sho scowled angrily. "I said I wanted to change the past, Kyoko. I want to change what happened between _us_."

As if struck by a bolt of lightning, Ren whipped his head towards Kyoko and felt his heart completely give out. To hear the word "us" spoken from Sho's lips was more than he could take. It was exactly the one situation he wanted to prevent more than anything in the world. But the shock that coursed through his veins crippled his ability to speak. He couldn't say a word.

But to his astonishment, Kyoko smiled darkly and said, "Why are you wasting your time with something like that?"

Sho's eyes widen as she continued angrily, "You can't do anything about it."

"That's not true," he replied back. "I can change everything."

"You can't."

"Of course I can!"

She shook her head defiantly.

"Fuck! Kyoko, why do you keep arguing with me?" Sho said in a furious tone. "If you would let me finish—!"

And just as Ren was about to jump in, Kyoko's grip upon his arm tightened as she stepped forward and replied in a hard voice, "Had it ever crossed your mind that I don't want you to?"

Sho froze.

"Did you ever once think about what I want?" Kyoko continued in the same frustrated voice. "You want to fix everything, right? But what about me? What would _I_ want to change? Is there anything I _want_ to change, Sho?"

The musician's eyes widened as realization trickled through his veins like acid.

Seeing the answer click within his eyes, Kyoko shook her head and said, "Like I said earlier, I'm happy now, Sho. You might want to change things, but I don't."

"Even if I said I was sorry?" he whispered.

Kyoko's heart stopped in her chest.

She couldn't have predicted that even if she tried. His comment completely threw her off course.

Suddenly time had come to a screeching halt as the feelings from the far distant past rushed back like the wind. It truly felt as if she was her old self once again. Not a proud actress or an independent woman, but like a pathetic girl desperate for attention. The need for revenge, the need to see him groveling on the floor, the need for justice came flooding back before she could stop them. Kyoko felt as if she completely reverted back to her old ways.

But just as those bitter emotions flitted across her mind, she was suddenly made very aware of the arm she was holding on to.

Without looking up, Kyoko could somehow feel his gentle warmth coursing through the palm of her hand. And in just a snap, she was pulled back to the present. Strangely enough, her husband's silent support had never felt so real—it was as if he was reminding her that this was her life now, that the past was in the past. It didn't matter what happened four years ago. Her pain, her misery, none of that mattered anymore because right at that moment, she had everything she needed.

_He_ was all she needed.

So lacing her fingers through his warm hand, Kyoko determinedly met Sho's gaze and shook her head.

"I don't want your apology," she answered quietly.

"Then what do you want?"

Kyoko moved her eyes down to their intertwined hands and said in a barely audible murmur, "I just want you to leave."

Sho faltered.

If there were any words to describe the ache that swept through him, they would still never fully represent his feelings at that precise moment. Sho could barely understand the torment himself. It was at that point in time that Show finally understood how deeply he felt about Kyoko, how deeply he wanted her forgiveness. But as he stared into her unwavering, golden eyes, Sho realized that it wasn't only her forgiveness that he had lost. He also lost her trust…her compassion…and her love.

All in all, he lost her.

Sho had no other choice.

Kyoko made her feelings so painfully clear.

What was there left to say?

What could he do?

Silently, Sho slowly lifted his heavy-leaden feet and took that one step forward. He didn't break eye contact with Kyoko at all. He should have looked away, but he held her gaze until he walked straight past her. His strides were smooth and swift. Sho didn't waste any time at all.

She didn't call out his name when he approached the door.

She didn't say a word.

But just as the front door swung open, Sho suddenly came to a halt. He knew his hope was in vain, that there was no way it would happen, but he decided to risk it anyway. .

So then very slowly, he turned around and glanced over his shoulder.

But instead of seeing her back to him, Kyoko was surprisingly facing his direction. She stood a couple of steps away from Ren and was looking directly at him.

Sho's words were lodged in the middle of his throat. He couldn't say anything even if he tried.

Then right before his eyes, her expression suddenly changed. Kyoko's usually fiery eyes dimmed just a shade as her lips curved into a weak smile.

And in a voice that he hadn't heard in a while, she murmured under her breath,

"Goodbye, Sho."

* * *

><p>"Kyoko?"<p>

She blinked a few times in surprise at the voice that broke through her consciousness before she finally turned around and saw Ren standing by the white couch. She had been staring outside the window ever since she got back to her room, not really seeing anything at all. She didn't even notice when her husband had finished using the restroom.

But forcing a smile at his worried expression, she asked, "So how do you like it? The suite's nice, isn't it?"

Ren didn't reply. His dark eyes stared intently into hers, seeing the traces of distress still apparent in her face. Then without hesitation, he smoothly walked around the large white couch and coffee table until he stood right before her. Raising his hand to her face, Ren cupped her slender cheek and rubbed his thumb across her porcelain skin.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

Kyoko nodded. "I'm fine. Everything's fine."

Of course, he didn't believe a single word of it. Because no matter how much hated it, Ren understood. The ties that she severed today were deep. There was no way Kyoko truly felt fine. He knew better than anyone how hard it was for her to finally move on with her life without Sho and to have to deal with this again was probably killing her from the inside. After all, at one point in her life, Kyoko loved Sho too.

And at that painful thought, Ren could already feel his heartbeat begin to slow. It was certainly irrational, but he couldn't talk himself out of it. Even though Ren knew how much Kyoko loved him, he was still too selfish of a man to just plainly accept the fact that he could never truly have her entire heart.

"Ren," her voice suddenly called.

He looked down at her and saw her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"What are you thinking about?"

Ren sighed softly and shook his head with a grim smile. "I just realized how weak I am is all. I'm sorry I wasn't much of a help earlier, Kyoko."

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Help with what?"

He didn't reply.

And with a trembling heart at what she had done, Kyoko placed both of her hands upon his face and pulled his eyes towards her. Monopolizing his attention, she said in a stern tone, "Ren, that was nothing. You didn't need to help with anything because it wasn't important."

Ren smiled weakly.

"I'm serious," Kyoko insisted in a louder voice at the disbelief in his eyes. "It meant nothing to me."

"But do you regre—?"

He fell silent.

As much as Ren hated to admit it, he couldn't get himself to ask. He couldn't finish the question because what would happen if she said yes? Would he be able to be sympathetic? Would he be able to understand she can't forget her first love?

But before he could think of anything else, Kyoko's grip upon his face suddenly strengthened. She then pulled his lips towards her with a ferocity that effortlessly stole his breath away. As soon as her lips pressed against his, Ren could feel a current speeding through his veins like pure adrenaline. Of course, his heart swelled to a dangerous extent, but he was too surprised to respond to the kiss before she quickly pulled away once more.

"Tsuruga Ren," Kyoko said in a breathless yet firm tone. "Do you realize who I am?"

Ren's eyes widen in surprise at the strange question. "Yes…I know who you are," he replied reluctantly.

"Good, then can you tell me what this is?" she asked, raising her left hand to his face.

Moving his eyes across her slender hand, his gaze finally fell upon the silver band around her finger. He smiled gently as he watched the ring sparkle in the hazy light of the setting sun.

"Your wedding ring," Ren whispered.

"And what does my wedding ring represent?"

He chuckled quietly at her chiding tone. "Our love for each other," Ren recited in an obedient voice.

Smiling warmly at his willingness to answer her demands, she nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Exactly," Kyoko agreed in a softer voice, "it represents our love for each other. That out of everyone in this entire world, you chose me and I chose you."

Ren touched his forehead to hers and nodded.

"Then please tell me you know that everything that happened earlier in no way changes anything between us," she begged. "You're still the man I love, Ren."

"I know, Kyoko. It's just…"

She exhaled deeply at his inflection and moved her head in agreement. "Ren, I won't lie to you. Saying all of that today wasn't easy, but it's not because I didn't want to say those words. In fact, I felt this way for a very long time. Telling him goodbye was something I felt I did years ago, except this time, I just had to say them directly."

Kyoko kissed him lightly on the lips. "I don't regret what I said, Ren."

The sincerity ringing in her words easily lifted the heavy feeling within his heart. Ren held her close, feeling her thin arms wrap around his torso. Only when holding her did he realize that there was nothing in this world that could destroy their relationship. Kyoko was truly and forever his.

"I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?" he murmured.

She giggled, replying, "Well, considering you're usually so level-headed, you deserve moments of relapse every now and then."

He chuckled and cradled her face within his large hands. She smiled brightly back, her cheeks flushed a light red.

"Are you sure you're okay though?" he asked again.

Kyoko nodded. "You're here, Ren. How can I not be okay?"

And before anything could be said, a string of quiet knocks suddenly sounded upon the white wooden door. Ren curiously turned around and gently released Kyoko from his embrace, walking towards the door. Then gripping the golden handle, he swung the door open and heard a male voice say:

"Hey Kyoko, I have a few papers for you to fill—"

The visitor's mouth clamped shut as he realized it wasn't Kyoko who answered the door. His frozen gaze slowly met the eyes of the tall man before him. He recognized the person immediately, but it was like his voice had completely escaped him. He couldn't utter a single word at all.

Ren smiled politely at his obvious pause and answered with a slight tip of his head, "Hello."

"Uh…"

Ren chuckled and asked politely, "Are you Touya?"

His eyes widen in surprise as he slowly moved his head in reply. "I-I-I-I am. Aren't you…?"

Extending a firm hand, Ren replied with a friendly smile, "My name is Tsuruga Ren. It's nice to finally meet you, Touya."

The assistant hesitantly reached out and mumbled, "How do you know my name?"

"Kyoko has told me a lot about you," Ren answered calmly. "I'm glad I finally got to see you in person."

And right on cue, Kyoko poked her head from behind Ren's broad shoulder, exclaiming in a surprised voice, "Hi Touya! What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to give you some paperwork," Touya said in a slightly anxious voice as he extended a folder to the actress. "It's for next week's photo shoot."

Kyoko nodded and accepted the papers. "Let me go sign them really quick," she said as she walked back inside the room. "I'll be right out."

Touya nodded absent-mindedly, but as soon as she left, his nervousness suddenly increased ten-fold. He was now very aware of exactly what kind of position was in. He was standing at the front door of a young woman's suite…a married woman…whose husband was standing right in front of him. Involuntarily, Touya looked up at the tall actor and couldn't help the feeling of utter and absolute awe from clouding his head.

He knew that Ren was taller than the average Japanese man. In fact, Touya knew perfectly well how quote unquote "perfect" Ren was. But it was more than just his overpowering aura that seemed to suffocate the air around him. H evene stood with a grace that would have put all other men to shame. Ren truly was a professional through and through.

"So," Touya said as he sternly cleared his throat, "how's Japan?"

"It's been a little busy, but nothing too different," Ren answered in a kind voice. "How's New York?"

"Same…and uh, congratulations on your movie. I heard the critics really liked it."

He laughed and said with a humble bow of his head, "Thank you. I was actually quite pleased to hear that too."

"So then, I'm guessing you're here to visit Kyoko now that the movie is over."

Ren nodded.

"How long are you staying?" Touya asked.

Running a hand through his hair, he replied with a chuckle, "I actually haven't decided yet, but now that I'm here, I don't think I can get myself to leave so easily."

"But you can't stay for long right?"

Ren turned to look at him.

"Well, because Kyoko says you're really busy back at home," Touya clarified. "I mean, can you really afford to just stay here?"

And as soon as those words left his lips, Touya suddenly felt his blood drop a few degrees in temperature when he noticed a small change in Ren's expression. It was as subtle as a ripple of water, but it was nearly impossible to miss it. Ren still had the friendly smile at the corner of his lips, but at closer inspection, his warm brown eyes were oddly frozen over.

It didn't take long for Touya to realize what he had done because in some way or another he had almost planned for this to happen. He knew his question would be risky as soon as he said it. After all, it clearly expressed the kind of motive he had.

Too bad he didn't plan for what would happen after.

With a fluid nod of his head, Ren answered in a calm tone, "You're right, work is busy. A vacation probably isn't such a good idea, especially at a time like this. But considering all the time you've spent with Kyoko, you probably understand my disinclination to leave, right?"

Touya remained silent.

Ren suddenly straightened up and took a step forward. "After all, if you were me, Touya—"

His dark eyes glinted.

"—could you leave Kyoko alone?"

Touya's body froze. For the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to be stunned into complete and utter silence. The fear that spread to his fingertips sparked like electricity. Touya could practically feel the sharp edge of the actor's question. He noticed it immediately. Ren wasn't asking him a question.

It was a warning.

But Touya was too afraid to reply. In truth, he didn't know what to say at all.

Then with a light chuckle at his lack of a response, Ren said, "So you understand what I mean."

Touya's eyes widen.

"Well then, I'm glad," Ren continued in the same smooth voice. "It's nice to know that you and I are finally on the same page."

And right at that moment, Touya had never felt smaller. He knew Ren was intimidating. People always said that the actor had this remarkable ability to make you feel weak—practically almost inferior.

But Touya didn't feel weak.

He felt absolutely defeated...as if he lost a battle he didn't even get a chance to fight in.

Before Touya could spit out anything, the sound of rapid footsteps had already approached from behind the door. Kyoko appeared once more except this time with the folder in her hands.

She extended the package around Ren and said, "Here you go, Touya. Sorry for taking so long."

"Not at all!" he answered in a pitchy voice.

Kyoko smiled in puzzlement at his weird reaction, noticing how jumpy he was. But deciding to dismiss that, she asked instead, "So did you guys get to know each other?"

Ren nodded with a smile. "We did. In fact, I think we understand one another a lot better now."

Touya laughed awkwardly and replied, "Right…Well, uh, I'll let you two, um…yeah. I g-g-got to go and meet the others anyway."

"Oh," Kyoko replied with honest surprise. "Are you sure you don't want to come in for a drink first, Touya?"

"NO! NO!" he replied in earnest, moving his head back and forth. "I'm fine!"

Kyoko laughed and nodded. "Alright then. Well, thank you for coming by."

"Of course! No problem!"

And with one quick wave of his hand, Touya scurried away without even bothering to give a single look back.

But just as Ren was about to close the suite door, Kyoko suddenly stood in front of him and placed her hands upon her hips, looking up at him with suspicious eyes.

He smiled confusedly and asked, "Yes?"

"What did you do?" Kyoko demanded.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you scare Touya or something?" she asked with a frown. "He was acting odd."

Ren innocently furrowed his eyebrows. "Scare him? Why would I need to do that?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

Smiling in amusement at her guarded tone, Ren grasped Kyoko's slender hand and pulled her to his chest. "Kyoko, I don't think there's any need for me to scare him," he answered with a teasing smile. "He seems like a nice guy."

"Really?"

"Really," he reassured.

She narrowed her eyes, clearly not convinced by her husband's easy-going response.

He suddenly chuckled and shook his head.

"Besides," Ren continued, sweetly pressing his lips to her forehead, "Touya looks like the kind of man who knows how to read between the lines."


	13. Chapter 13: Understanding

Hi everyone! I can't express my sincere apology for the VERY late update. Spring quarter was undeniably busy and the time to write just wouldn't come. However, I'm happy to say that I can certainly dedicate more time to finishing this story. Once again, I apologize for the unbelievable late update. Thank you so much for your patience with me and I hope you enjoy the new chapter. (By the way, this isn't the last one). Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>"Oh my god!"<p>

"Is he looking this way?"

"He's actually here!"

"I can't believe how lucky we are!"

"HE'S EVEN MORE GORGEOUS IN PERSON!"

"I'm so jealous!"

The horde of women clumped near the set continued to rapidly whisper to each other as they stole quick glances at the tall man standing a few feet away. Even though they were all professional supermodels, none of them could resist the girl-like squeals and giggles that escaped their lips. He was just too perfect to ignore.

With his hair casually slicked back and his arms crossed over his chest, Ren stood by the edge of the photo-shoot, looking as if he had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. He was dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a fitted shirt, and a jacket over his broad shoulders. Even in casual clothes, he still looked immaculate.

Of course, Ren had every intention to keep a low profile, but as soon as he stepped through the double doors of the modeling agency, all eyes were instantly locked on him.

But it wasn't like he could help it. His presence overpowered everything in sight. Towering at 6'5 with a gentle expression that made girls swoon left and right, it was impossible not to be captivated. But while some tried to approach him and others merely gawked, Ren didn't seem to notice anybody in the room except for one.

"Kyoko, move your hands to your shoulder. And…stop! Perfect! Stay right there!"

Ren smiled proudly.

Watching her serious expression, the elegant movement of her hips and hands, and the twinkle in her golden eyes only made him fall in love with her all over again. It was hard to keep still as he took in every graceful stance that only proved just how goddess-like she was. The photographer couldn't voice a complaint even if he tried. She was a natural.

"Cue the fan!"

And at the moment, the delicate, chiffon dress she wore rose a little higher up her slender thigh, blowing softly against her porcelain skin. Ren noticed it immediately—the swivel of heads that were now focused on his wife. And the most irritating part?

They were all men.

Forcing in a deep and steady breath, Ren tried to ignore the quiet, awed murmurs that swirled around him. She was working and he had already promised to patiently watch from the sidelines. But, the desire to snatch her away from such obvious stares was getting stronger by the second, especially when the wind from the fan seemed to be blowing fiercer.

And after what felt like an eternity of pure unrelenting torture, the photographer finally called OK and wrapped up the shoot. Swiftly, but elegantly, Ren approached the set and walked towards his wife, careful to shield her with his back.

Kyoko turned her head towards the sound of his approaching footsteps and greeted him with a cheerful smile.

He smiled back in response and brushed his fingertips across her cheek. "You were amazing."

Blushing, she replied with a shake of her head, "You're obligated to say that, Ren."

"Actually, I say that quite begrudgingly," Ren replied. "If you were any better, I would have probably gone crazy."

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"You didn't notice them?"

"Notice who?" she inquired innocently.

Ren chuckled in relief and pressed a quick kiss to her temple. "Never mind then."

More than confused by her husband's remark, Kyoko was about to demand for more clarification when her friends suddenly walked on set.

"Hey Kyoko!" Emi called, waving her hand in the air.

Kyoko smiled brightly back at the sound of her name and motioned them over. "Hi everyone!"

Of course, as soon as Ren turned around, Emi, Ami, and Yui nearly froze in shock. Even though they've seen his pictures plenty of times before, seeing him in person was nothing like they could have anticipated. Magazines and television did him no justice whatsoever.

As soon as they were close enough, Kyoko stepped forward and said, "Ren, I would like you to meet Emi, Ami, and Yui. Girls, this is my husband, Ren."

With his heart all aflutter at Kyoko's sweet introduction, he gave a polite smile and bowed his head low in greeting. "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

"The pleasure is ours, Tsuruga-san!" Ami said in a slightly pitchy voice as she bowed fervently in response. "I'm such a big fan!"

"I've seen every single one of your movies!" Emi added eagerly. "You're amazing!"

Yui stood in her usual silence, smiling timidly from behind.

Laughing, Ren replied in a humble voice, "Thank you very much. Although, I hardly think I'm as amazing as all of you. My work pales in comparison to the work you do here."

All three girls blushed profusely at his sincere comment as Emi asked, "But aren't you a model too, Tsuruga-san? Kyoko told us you sponsor a brand and everything."

"But modeling for men isn't nearly as difficult as for women. You deserve more of the credit."

Kyoko smiled widely as she watched her friends' expressions change. She could see the mesmerized look in their eyes so clearly now. They were completely won over by Ren's charm without any effort at all. Not that it was too much of a surprise, of course, but Kyoko couldn't help but realize more and more how dangerous Ren was to unsuspecting girls.

"You flatter us!" Emi said with a deep blush and a quick flail of her hand.

"Yes, Tsuruga-san! There's no need for a compliment like that!" Ami exclaimed, vigorously shaking her head.

Even Yui couldn't look at him in the eyes.

Ren chuckled and shook his head. "Credit should be given where it's deserved. Besides, it's obvious you all work incredibly hard."

"Well not as hard as your dutiful wife here," Emi pointed out with a grin. "She's only been here for a month and is already so well-known."

"Only with your help, everyone," Kyoko disagreed with a smile.

Yui let out a chime-like laugh. "You're as modest as ever, Kyoko," she answered in her typical airy voice.

But before anyone could reply, a loud voice suddenly called from behind, "KYOKO!"

The whole group turned around to see a young woman poking her head from out of a trailer and waving the actress over. "Let's change you out of those clothes," she exclaimed brightly. "You're done for the night!"

"Really?" Kyoko asked. "I thought I had more catalogues to finish."

"We're ahead of schedule," the friendly cosmetician replied. "So you can go on home and rest."

Thrilled about the early release, she turned to Ren and said, "I guess that's it for today then."

He smiled widely as he could sense her excitement already bubbling to the surface. "Then shall we go to dinner?" Ren asked in an equally cheerful voice.

Kyoko nodded eagerly and placed a kiss upon his cheek. "I'll be right out."

He nodded and replied, "I'll be waiting."

Then with one last smile and quick farewell to her friends, Kyoko gracefully made her way towards the silver trailer. Ren watched her walk away with softened eyes until he noticed how the other girls were looking at him with an amused expression. Confused, he turned towards them and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Emi shook her head, grinning from ear to ear. "Nope."

"It just all makes sense now," Ami commented.

"What makes sense?" Ren asked with an innocent tilt of his head.

"How much you both love each other."

Ren blushed, failing completely to keep the smile from forming at the corner of his lips.

"Honestly though, I'm starting to feel quite resentful of Kyoko," Ami joked with an exaggerated pout. "She seems to have just about everything, doesn't she? A perfect career, a perfect husband, a perfect life…"

Yui smiled and nodded in agreement.

"I'm in no way perfect, Ami-san," Ren said with a shake of his head. "I've made my fair share of mistakes."

"Well, you must be doing something right because I haven't seen Kyoko this happy for a while now," Emi explained.

Nodding, Ami added, "Actually, now that you mention it, I was starting to get a little worried about her. After all, she was so bothered by that Oka—OW!"

Yui fiercely stomped on Ami's foot, glaring at her with hardened eyes that clearly told her to be silent. But by then, the damage was already done. Ren swiftly turned to Yui and asked with furrowed eyebrows, "Kyoko was bothered?"

Emi jumped in with a nervous laugh and gave a quick, nonchalant flail of her hand. "It's nothing, Tsuruga-san! Forget we said anything! It's not important!"

"That's right! You're here now and that's all that matters!" Ami added fervently, realizing her horrible mistake.

"But something was wrong before?" Ren pressed anxiously.

He didn't like their panicky response at all.

Ami slowly averted her gaze as Emi mumbled under her breath, "Not really…"

Ren frowned, not convinced by their reaction whatsoever. "Girls, if there's something I should be aware of, please tell me."

All three remained silent, desperately looking at each other for a way out of this sticky predicament.

"Did something happen to Kyoko?" he asked as he turned to face each of them.

Shaking her head, Emi answered, "It's nothing like that, Tsuruga-san. Kyoko was just…"

"Just what?" Ren continued in a worried tone. He didn't like the feeling of not knowing, especially when it involved Kyoko. Just the prospect that something had happened was already making his hair stand on end. If there was anything that scared him the most, it would be anything that involved Kyoko. And to think that it was something she was purposefully hiding from him only increased his panic.

At first, nobody said anything—not even a single breath could be heard.

But the pleading look upon Ren's face must have broken through their resolve because Ami suddenly let out a deep and wary sigh. Turning to her friends, she murmured in defeat, "It's no use hiding it, guys. He deserves to know."

Emi frowned uncertainly. "Is it our place to say though? Shouldn't we check with Kyoko first?"

"But he's her husband," Ami countered softly. "This involves him too."

Ren's eyes widened in surprise as Emi murmured in defeat, "I guess you're right."

Yui nodded curtly.

Then with one last deep sigh, Ami turned to Ren and asked, "Tsuruga-san, has Kyoko asked you about your movie at all?"

Ren blinked in confusion at the random question. It didn't seem to fit with the current situation at all. But deciding to go along with it, he replied reluctantly, "No, she hasn't. Why do you ask?"

Emi laughed weakly, murmuring, "Wow, she really didn't tell you anything,"

Ami shook her head and ran a tired hand through her silky hair. "She's absolutely impossible."

"Wait, I'm confused," Ren admitted with furrowed eyebrows at their puzzling comments. "What does my movie have anything to do with Kyoko?"

"Not your movie," Emi clarified. "More like who's _in_ your movie."

Ren blinked in astonishment, unable to say anything.

Emi smiled wryly at his bemused expression. "Can you really think of no one, Tsuruga-san?" she asked in a quiet tone.

And that was when it hit him. The answer was so clear that there was no way to deny it. There was no one else _but_ her. Ren could feel his heartbeat suddenly begin to slow with each passing second. The immense guilt that poured through his veins nearly crippled him. He had never felt so miserable.

Lowering his eyes to the floor, he asked quietly, "What has Kyoko said?"

"Nothing really," Ami answered with a sheepish smile at his now down-trodden expression. "In fact, we're just about as clueless as you are."

Emi nodded. "Kyoko isn't one to talk about her own problems anyway."

Ren sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. In all of his life, he had never felt so useless. As her husband, it was his sole responsibility to ensure that she was happy no matter what happened. But to know that she had been suffering alone in New York because of his own foolish ignorance was what hurt him the most.

After all, if there was anybody who could understand her distress, it would be Ren.

He understood her inner turmoil…the bitter feeling when someone tried to interfere…the discomfort when someone had gotten too close.

Besides, wasn't it because of his own unease that he flew half way across the world to see her?

Ren gritted his teeth together in frustration. He should have seen this from the start.

Naturally clenching his hand into a fist, Ren murmured, "Thank you for telling me everyone. I really appreciate it."

"Are you okay, Tsuruga-san?" Ami asked with worry ridden eyes at the hard look in his face.

He forced a stiff smile and shook his head. "I don't think my feelings are very important right now."

"This isn't your fault though, Tsuruga-san," Emi reassured fervently as she stepped forward. "You would have no way of knowing about this anyway."

Yui nodded. "You're not the one to blame."

But instead of taking comfort from their heart-felt sentiments, Ren could only smile weakly in reply. No matter how he looked at it, Ren was the one who caused Kyoko to feel this way. And it was up to him to fix it.

* * *

><p>"Ren, would you like something to drink?"<p>

…

"Ren?"

Kyoko turned around and to her quiet surprise saw her husband absent-mindedly staring out the dark window. He had such a stern expression upon his face that if she didn't know any better, she would have probably thought he was angry. Confused by his odd silence, she silently walked around the white couch in the living room and kneeled down before him.

"Ren?" she murmured.

He blinked in surprise at the gentle voice that pulled his focus back to the present. And after turning his gaze downwards, he let out a small smile as he met his wife's anxious gaze. "I'm sorry, honey. Did you say something?"

"Yes, I asked if you wanted something to drink."

Shaking his head, he replied, "No, it's alright. I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine," she pointed out. "Is everything okay?"

Ren didn't answer immediately. He just stared into her puzzled eyes, wondering if it was proper for him to go forward with this. Throughout the entire dinner, he kept debating about whether or not he should bring up the subject. He kept waiting for the perfect time. But at every instance he had enough courage to try, her smile and laugh effortlessly lodged the words in his throat. He suddenly didn't have the heart to ask her.

But at the same time, he hated the idea of not knowing. It was practically killing him from the inside. He was practically on tether hooks and couldn't put it off any longer. So with a small shake of his head, Ren said in a soft voice, "Not exactly."

Kyoko's eyes widen, seeing the distraught look that was now so apparent in his eyes. Worried more than ever, she placed a warm hand over his and murmured under her breath, "What's going on, Ren?"

Remaining silent, he slowly laced his fingers through hers and pulled her onto his lap. She naturally wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in until her forehead touched his. Then without another thought, Ren reached a hand into her hair and pulled her lips to his. The kiss was gentle and sweet with their lips slowly moving against each other. No urgency or lust filled the room. It was just a moment that allowed them to be wrapped in the other's warm embrace.

When Kyoko leaned back, her eyes were softened, but the anxiety could still be heard in her timid voice. "Did something happen?" she whispered.

Ren's jaw tightened. He didn't know how to start. Of course, he wanted to blatantly ask her, but at the same time he was afraid. She obviously hid this from him for a reason and if he asked her directly, she might completely close up. He had no idea of what to do.

But deciding to try, he murmured, "Kyoko, do you trust me?"

She blinked in surprise before saying in earnest, "Of course, I do. More than anything."

Gently grasping her small hand, Ren brought it to his lips and whispered, "Then you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Kyoko didn't answer, confusion coloring her face.

"Whether you're sad or upset, whether you're angry or in pain…No matter what it is, you can tell me all of it because I love you. And I would never want you to think that I won't understand," he continued in a low voice.

With her eyebrows furrowed, she asked, "What are you talking about, Ren?"

He bit on his lower lip and said, "Sweetheart, is there anything you want to tell me? Anything at all that I should know?"

Ren gripped her hand tighter before whispering, "Even if you don't want me to?"

And right before his eyes, he saw her amber eyes flicker with understanding. She realized what he meant without a second thought. Slowly, her slender shoulders slumped in shame as she lowered her head and broke their eye contact. Ren didn't want to push on any further. He just waited patiently for her response, hoping that she would be comfortable enough to speak, even to him.

"Let me guess," Kyoko whispered, "the girls?"

Ren nodded.

Laughing in a weak voice, Kyoko murmured in dejection, "I really do fail as an actress. I couldn't fool any of them at all."

Ren place a hand under her chin and lifted her face until their eyes met once more. Rubbing his thumb across her delicate cheek, he said, "As your husband, I would want to know, Kyoko. I don't ever want you to hide anything from me."

Kyoko stared back into his eyes, realizing how upset he was. She had never felt so guilty in her life, but to her utmost surprise, Ren suddenly leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm so sorry, Kyoko," he said against her skin.

"And why are you apologizing?" she asked with just a twinge of anger.

Unfazed by her frustration, he slowly shook his head and replied, "Because I could have prevented this."

"No, you couldn't," Kyoko replied defensively. "This was all me and my own foolishness."

She suddenly let out a shaky breath and averted her gaze.

"I should have had faith in you from the start," Kyoko murmured quietly. "You're my husband, Ren, and I know better than anyone how much you care about me. But even then, I couldn't stop myself from feeling so…"

She sighed.

Kyoko had no idea that it was going to be this difficult to explain. She could already feel this irrational fear spread all the way to her fingertips. But knowing it was too late to stop now, she sucked in a deep breath before continuing in a lower voice, "I know she's only your co-star and I understand it's a part of your job, but every time I saw her with you, I felt so out of place. Almost as if I was—"

"—losing you?"

She raised her head in surprise as the words she so desperately feared were spoken from her husband's lips.

Ren smiled wryly at her alarmed expression and said, "Almost as if you needed to validate your own existence?"

"How did you know that?" Kyoko asked with wide eyes.

He chuckled weakly. "Because I know exactly how you feel," Ren confessed under his breath.

Kyoko felt as if her heart had suddenly stopped dead in her chest. To know that Ren had felt the same turmoil as she only made her feel guiltier. She tenderly placed both of her hands upon each side of his face, murmuring, "When?"

"Before everything," Ren replied sadly, "before you realized your feelings, before I confessed my own, before we were married, I always felt as if I'd lose you…even at times when you weren't mine."

"Lose me to what?" she asked with quiet surprise.

"To Fuwa."

Her hands instantly went limp against his face. Gradually, her arms lowered until her hands sat in her lap. She had her eyes locked onto his, but they were completely frozen over. Everything around her became totally silent. Nothing could be heard except for the sounds of her own breathing. She didn't know what to do. Kyoko was paralyzed from head to toe.

Ren could feel his heart shake with anxiety. He had never intended to tell Kyoko about this because he was always afraid of what events might follow if he did. What if his words set in motion everything he had been dreading? What if he would come to regret this later?

But something within him refused to let him sit silent. He had to go on. Not just for her, but himself.

"The first time we met, you already had someone special, someone you cared about and someone you loved above all else. Then as if fate had planned it, when we met for a second time you still had that same special person, regardless of the fact that your feelings had changed. But that piece of your heart, Kyoko—no matter how hard I try—can never be mine."

He gently ran his finger over her wedding ring, watching the diamonds glisten in the lamplight. The crystals were almost star-like. Kyoko kept her golden eyes on his face as she waited for him to continue.

"He was your first love," Ren said. "He was the one you always thought you would spend your future with. At one point in your life, he was your everything. And even though we're together now, I sometimes feel uneasy. Whenever he's around you, whenever he's close by, I'm afraid that one day you'll come to realize you still love him. But I love you so much that the thought of you leaving is unbearable to me. I just can't let you go."

Ren sighed sadly. "I'm the one who doesn't have faith."

With trembling hands, Kyoko gently wrapped her arms around Ren's neck and leaned her head into the crook of his shoulder. When she felt him return the embrace, her heart awoke once more. The breath she had been holding in finally escaped her lips.

But even in his arms, Kyoko wasn't consoled. She now understood how much pain she had caused him without even realizing it. Rethinking back to the past, she could only speculate the kind of agony Ren had endured, day after day. Her past self was consumed by Sho. She had no room for any other man, but no matter the circumstances, Ren had still loved her. He stayed with her and patiently unlocked the iron-cage she had placed around her own heart. He was always there.

"I never knew how much I hurt you," Kyoko mumbled against his shirt.

He lightly ran his fingers up and down her back, replying, "It wasn't you, Kyoko. Those were just the circumstances we were in."

She moved her head from side to side, unable to agree.

"I won't blame you for what happened," Ren said in a soft voice. "It wasn't your fault."

"But are you still afraid that I'll leave you?"

He didn't answer.

She slowly leaned back at his silence and placed her hands upon his shoulder. Touching her forehead to his, Kyoko whispered, "He may have been my first love, Ren, but he's also the first person who hurt me."

Ren's jaw tightened, feeling an old frustration surge within him.

"But you," she continued in the same gentle tone, "were the first person who comforted me when nobody could. Do you remember that?"

He smiled and nodded, remembering a glistening meadow that belonged solely to them. "How could I forget?"

Smiling, she murmured, "You're the one who wiped away my tears. You're the one who made me feel as if I was worth something. And you're the first person who ever really cared about me. I would never run from this. I would never run from you."

Kyoko kissed him tenderly on the cheek. "I loved him once, but I love you more."

Ren looked into her eyes and saw them shimmer with sincerity. He could never describe the wave of emotions that swept through him at that moment. He could only stare into her beautiful face and relish in the fact that this amazing woman was truly his.

"Besides," Kyoko added with a tiny laugh, "he has nothing on you."

Ren chuckled, his heart already feeling lighter by the minute. Then with a playful kiss, he replied, "And neither does she."

Blushing scarlet, Kyoko leaned her head onto his broad shoulder. "Yukari-san is very pretty though," she mumbled.

"Huh, I never noticed."

She lifted her head and arched a skeptical eyebrow at his innocent expression. "Really?"

"Really."

Kyoko giggled effortlessly and touched her nose to his. Then with somewhat saddened eyes, she asked in a quiet voice, "We'll always have our insecurities, won't we?"

Ren gently ran his fingers through her hair as he nodded. "I think it comes with being in love."

Kyoko moved her head in agreement.

"But I believe that given time," he continued in a thoughtful tone, "they'll eventually fade."

"Why do you say that?" she asked curiously.

Then in a swift and unpredictable motion, he suddenly pushed Kyoko onto the couch until her back was flat against the cushions. She let out a single squeal of surprise before falling completely speechless to the intense look in his dark eyes as he loomed over her. Reaching a shaky hand to his alluring face, she watched the corners of his mouth turn upward into a heart-stopping smile.

Then with a sweet kiss upon her fingertips, he whispered in a husky voice, "Because our love is greater."

With her heart beating straight out of her chest by now, she smoothly propped herself up onto her arms and pressed her lips against his own.

"Exactly," she murmured, before helplessly drowning within his kiss.


	14. Chapter 14: Moving Forward

Hi everyone! I'm so happy to see that you guys didn't abandon this story since I was so late on the updates! But thankfully this time around, I was a little more prompt. Haha, anyway, thanks again for all the positive reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>The sunlight from the open window basked the living room in a cheerful glow, giving off a very homey feel to the spacious space. Mahogany furniture, smooth wooden floors, and numerous shelves filled with books surrounded Kyoko as she comfortably sat upon the couch. Usually, she would have walked around and explored the place, but the large photo album in her hands had taken up all of her interest.<p>

Kyoko smiled as she gingerly flipped the laminated page. The book sitting on her lap must have weighed at least five pounds from all the photos that were neatly placed inside. It was like having a timeline unfold right before her very eyes.

Scanning over the many different scenes, she casually landed upon a photo of a young, blond boy in the far corner. He was holding a large trophy high in the air, grinning with pride.

"That was taken when he won the third grade spelling bee."

Kyoko looked up at the sound of her chiming voice and smiled brightly. "First place?" she inquired innocently.

"Absolutely," Julie replied with a proud laugh as she sat down next to her daughter-in-law upon the velvet couch, leaning towards the colossal photo album. "He loved to read as a child; I could barely get him to come to the dining table without a book permanently attached to his hand. Spelling came easy to him from all those words he was reading already."

"What kinds of books did he like to read?"

Julie warmly wrapped an arm around Kyoko's shoulders and gave them a tiny squeeze which elicited a smile from the actress's lips. "Just about any really," she continued in the same motherly voice, "nonfiction, mystery, suspense, paranormal, and even the occasional romance."

Kyoko giggled. "Really? At that age?"

Laughing, Julie nodded and said, "Oh yes, Kuon was somewhat of a romantic when he was younger. He probably got that trait from his father. You wouldn't believe the number of girls he charmed."

Kyoko's smile darkened. "Unfortunately, I can."

Julie let out another delightful laugh at her bitter response, giving another affectionate squeeze of her slender shoulders. "Now don't you worry dear," she began reassuringly, "he was never interested in any of them from the start."

"Why was that?"

Julie furrowed her eyebrows and questioningly raised her blue gaze to the high ceiling. "To be honest, I really have no idea. He was the perfect little gentleman, flashing brilliant smiles and giving out compliments like the breeze, but no girl could ever hold his interest."

Kyoko gave a wary shake of her head, realizing her husband hadn't changed at all as he grew up. Even now, she could still recall moments on set when he was completely unfazed by the opposite gender's antics. It was almost like he was completely immune to anything they tried. As a fellow female, Kyoko sometimes couldn't help but feel bad for them.

"Although," Julie continued in a playful tone, "to say no girl ever caught his interest would be highly inaccurate. After all, my son is married, isn't he?"

The young actress blushed scarlet as her mother-in-law's smile grew more pronounced at her lack of a reply. To hear other people speak so freely about her marriage always seemed to make her embarrassed. Not to say her marriage was a source of humiliation, but Kyoko would have preferred to keep her "love" out of the conversation.

So in hopes to distract Julie, Kyoko blindly pointed at another photo and asked, "What about this one?"

Julie looked down at her inquiry and laughed reminiscently. "Ah, that was a mother's day breakfast-in-bed surprise."

Kyoko's gaze softened as she stared down at a happy picture of a somewhat frazzled Julie in bed with Kuu on one side and a young Kuon on the other, both planting a kiss upon her cheeks. It was the sweetest family photo she had ever seen. And Kyoko couldn't help but gawk at how utterly beautiful they all were. Silky blond hair, sparkling eyes—the family practically glowed with perfection.

Julie suddenly let out a sigh as she gently caressed the photo with her fingertips. "Looking at these pictures sure makes me see how time really does fly."

Kyoko nodded in agreement, closing the book and placing it upon the wooden table. "Everything goes by so fast."

"But loving every minute of it, right?" Julie asked with a wink.

She laughed and moved her head in earnest agreement. "Of course and I've never been happier."

"Good," Julie replied. "Now, why don't you tell me all about this modeling job of yours? Kuon told me you have been doing very well, but he failed to provide any of the details. Has it been busy?"

Instinctively angling herself towards Julie, Kyoko replied, "It's been very busy actually. And I'm quite ashamed to say this, but I thought modeling would be easier."

"Oh you're not the only one, Kyoko dear. When I started out, I thought all you needed was a pretty smile."

"Well, smiling does get the job done," Kyoko agreed.

Julie laughed. "But _these _are the gems," she corrected as she gently placed a finger upon the corners of Kyoko's golden eyes. "A true model speaks with her eyes and nothing more."

Kyoko nodded, recalling the same lesson taught to her by Emi.

"And seeing as how beautiful your eyes are, you probably did everything perfectly," she complimented.

Blushing once more, Kyoko whined in a tiny voice, "Mom…"

"What? A mother can't compliment her daughter?"

She warily shook her head. "If we're going to start the rain of compliments again, can we please go back to talking about Kuon?" Kyoko asked, shyly averting her gaze from Julie's ever growing grin.

"Credit should be given where it's deserved," Julie stated as she tenderly tucked a strand of hair behind Kyoko's ear.

The actress smiled gently. She remembered the same exact phrase coming from her husband's lips. In more ways than one, he was becoming more and more like his parents. Regardless of the distance, their connection remained intact.

And luckily for Kyoko, everything worked out perfectly when she was given a break from work so that she and Ren could come out and visit them. Even though it had only been a few months since the last time she saw her "parents", Kyoko realized she missed seeing Julie and Kuu more than she thought. So she could probably only imagine how much Ren had missed them and took comfort knowing that he was enjoying the one-on-one time with his dad right at that moment.

In fact, Kyoko would prefer it that way. She sometimes felt that she got in the way of his relationship with his parents and although she appreciated the feeling of being genuinely accepted into the Hizuri family, Kyoko was well aware of her boundaries.

Of course, Julie made no kind of distinction between her and Ren. From the minute she first stepped through the front door, she pampered and fussed over Kyoko like she was a princess (to much of the actress's dismay). Nevertheless, Kyoko couldn't deny the warmth that spread straight to her fingertips every time Julie showed her a motherly smile or tenderly squeezed her hand. For the first time in her life, Kyoko felt like a daughter.

So with her heart already swelled with emotion, Kyoko turned back to Julie and murmured in a quiet voice, "Thank you, Mom."

Julie raised an eyebrow in surprise at the sudden change in topic. "For what?"

Kyoko laughed gently and held her hands together in her lap. "Making me feel at home, making me feel like part of the family…it means the world to me," she confessed.

Julie clicked her tongue in disapproval as she replied, "Sweetheart, you are family. There's no reason to thank me for that."

"But I—"

"No buts," she interrupted sternly, but with a tiny smile at the corner of her lips. "You're as much of my daughter as Kuon is my son. Besides, it's because of you I finally have my family again."

Kyoko sat speechless as Julie suddenly sighed and leaned back against the couch. "If any thanking is to be done around here, I believe it should come from me," she replied.

Julie patted Kyoko's smooth hand and murmured, "You're the one I should be thanking."

Kyoko shook her head. "Kuon would have returned home without me," she insisted as she followed suit and leaned back against the couch until her head was right besides Julie's smooth, golden hair.

"Possibly, but because of you he had enough strength to come back sooner and that right there is valuable in itself."

Kyoko smiled.

"You know, I don't think I have ever seen him as happy as when he is with you," Julie pointed out with kind eyes. "He's practically beaming."

"I feel the same way about him too," Kyoko said in a tender tone. "He's such an integral part of my life now. I can't imagine it without him."

The corner of her eyes crinkled in pure joy as Julie asked, "So I take it that married life is going well?"

Kyoko nodded eagerly. "It's been perfect."

"No problems?"

"Nothing we couldn't figure out on our own," she reassured.

Julie laughed at the strong, confident look in her eyes and gave her a slight pinch on the cheek. "That's my girl."

But before Kyoko could say a word, two male voices could suddenly be heard coming up the back porch steps. Julie instinctively straightened up at the sound and murmured in a cheerful voice, "Sounds like they're home."

And right on cue, Ren walked through the door with Kuu not trailing too far behind. Keeping his brown locks this time around, he stepped inside the cool room wearing casual shorts and a fitted t-shirt with a towel over his naked shoulders. Kuu wore similar athletic clothing while holding a basketball between his arm and body.

Kyoko was going to give them both a happy greeting when she suddenly caught the look on her husband's face. To her surprise, he looked somewhat annoyed.

"We're not having this conversation," Ren answered with a shake of his head as he closed the heavy glass door behind them. "Especially now."

"What do you mean? It's the perfect time to talk about this!" Kuu disagreed.

"Father, I mean it. I'm not talking about this."

Shaking his head warily, Kuu said, "Kuon, it's really not as early as you think it is. Besides, this is the logical next step, isn't it?"

"What's logical?" Julie asked as she stood up and walked around the coffee table.

Kuu stood beside his wife and naturally wrapped an arm around her waist, smiling widely without answering her question.

Even though Julie was in no way called a short woman, the top of her head only reached to about her husband's shoulder. Standing side by side, the couple truly looked like a fairy tale King and Queen. Kyoko let out a small smile at the sight.

But bringing her focus back to the conversation, she heard Ren reply, "It's not about logic, it's about timing. Hi sweetie." He easily plopped himself down beside Kyoko and placed a quick kiss upon her temple.

She blushed, murmuring breathlessly, "Hi."

"Then why don't we ask Kyoko?" Kuu suddenly offered, kneeling down upon his knees until he and Kyoko were at eye level.

"Ask me what?"

"What you think about—"

"Father," Ren interrupted, his eyes flashing in warning. "Don't."

Kuu sighed heavily, his head hanging low in exasperation. "Are you really against this plan that much?"

"I'm against how it's being brought up."

"I'm sorry, I'm really not following," Kyoko cut in with confused eyes. "What plan?"

Ren grasped her hand. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart."

"You know, your mother and I had you our first year," Kuu suddenly added in a nonchalant voice.

"Father!"

Julie perched herself upon the armrest besides Kyoko. "Kids?" she asked in a surprised voice. "Are you talking about having kids?"

Kuu grinned widely and tapped his nose with a finger.

Dragging his hand down his now tired face, Ren let out a small groan as Kyoko turned to him with wide eyes. He looked up at her with a sheepish expression, not saying a word.

"Kyoko, do you object?"

The actress turned towards a beaming Kuu whose smile seemed to grow ever larger. She cleared her throat and stammered, "T-t-t-to be honest, I never r-r-really thought about it."

"Then this is the perfect time!" he insisted with twinkling eyes. "Isn't the whole purpose of getting married is to start a family together?"

Julie nodded thoughtfully. "That's true."

Pleased that he had his wife's support, Kuu grasped her hand and smiled brightly.

"Besides, I don't see any problem," he continued. "You both love each other, your careers are very stable, and you even have wonderful parents to help you when you need."

Kyoko turned to Ren to see what he thought. They never really discussed this topic before and now that it was brought up, she wondered what his stance on the matter was.

But to her astonishment, he suddenly sighed deeply and shook his head. "I don't want to have this conversation right now."

"Why not? There's nothing to be embarrassed about!"

Then, as if hit by an instant realization at his son's stubborn silence, Kuu slowly leaned in and whispered in a serious tone, "Unless…there are…other _physical_ problems?"

Kyoko slapped her hand over her mouth in surprise as Ren's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. But Julie reacted much faster than the both of them because in a swift movement, she had Kuu's ear in between her sharp fingers and pulled him to his feet.

"I can't believe you!" she shrieked in horror. "WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?"

"It's a father's concern!" Kuu replied in haste, wincing from the pain.

"Well, your moment of concern is over! That was completely uncalled for!"

"I didn't mean to—!"

Julie tugged harder, clamping Kuu's mouth shut.

"I don't care what your intentions were! You just earned yourself the honor of making dinner tonight!"

"I thought we were eating out!"

"NOT ANYMORE!"

Pulling an obviously apologetic Kuu towards the kitchen, Julie said through gritted teeth, "To think you said that and in front of Kyoko nonetheless!"

"I'm sorry! But Julie sweetheart, can you let go? This really—! Argh!"

Her grip must have only gotten tighter because all that could be heard down the hallway was Kuu's whining voice of pain before the kitchen door closed with a thud. Kyoko timidly turned to the man beside her and saw how he had his face in his hands. She giggled silently at the sight of it and ran her fingers through his hair.

Ren raised his head and smiled warily. "That was—something."

Kyoko nodded.

"And now that it's been brought up, there's no way I can ignore it, so let me ask before I chicken out. Forget the fact that I'm incredibly vulnerable right now, but are there any…?"

Smiling at his apparent and ridiculous anxiety, Kyoko reached over and wrapped her arms around his torso, routinely snuggling her face into the crook of his neck. She placed a trail of kisses across his collarbone, up his neck, and finally down his masculine jaw line before stopping at his lips. Parting her mouth, Kyoko moved her hands to his strong shoulders as his hand naturally cupped the back of her head, putting her at an angle that left her completely at his mercy.

Breathless and charged, the couple slowly released each other, only to be greeted with the other's hazy gaze. Kyoko let out a tiny giggle and said, "That should answer your question."

With a groan, Ren pulled Kyoko onto his lap until she rested her head against his shoulder. "What you do to me, Kyoko."

She laughed and shook her head. "I could say the same to you," Kyoko murmured.

Then remembering the thorn that was nagging in the back of her mind, she raised her head and stared into his eyes. She tentatively ran her fingers down his face and asked, "You really don't want to talk about this, do you?"

Ren's jaw slightly tightened in understanding before he shook his head. "That's not it. I just don't want to pressure you."

Her eyes widen in surprise. Even after all this time, it still amazed her how deeply Ren understood her inner thoughts. How did he know that this topic was incredibly sensitive to her? The fact that she never once said a word and how he still knew were crippling her ability to speak. Kyoko was absolutely choked with emotion.

But now that the box was open, she couldn't help thinking about it. Her father was right; this was something they should discuss.

But from out of the blue, Ren suddenly let out a small chuckle and tucked her head beneath his chin. Kyoko comfortably settled down and heard him whisper, "Don't worry about it. There's no need to talk about this now."

She looked up at his kind gaze.

"Another time, okay?"

Unable to say anything, Kyoko slowly nodded as he placed a kiss upon her head.

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><p>Unfortunately, she couldn't forget it. Even after Kuu apologized for over-stepping his boundaries during his home-made dinner and Ren had insisted that there was plenty of time in the future, Kyoko couldn't forget. The idea of having kids both excited and scared her because Kuu was right; she married Ren for the purpose of becoming his family.<p>

Therefore, it would be a total lie if she said the notion of having children never crossed her mind. But whenever the idea did come up, she would just push the thought away because there was a part of her that didn't want to face the serious problem that came along with it.

Yet in her selfishness, Kyoko never once considered what Ren thought. Of course, from what he said earlier today, she realized it was because he didn't want to scare her. And although she was thankful for his thoughtfulness, Kyoko detested the fact that he was holding back because of her.

So when she heard the bathroom door click from behind, she resolutely turned away from the open window and twisted her head around to look at him.

Kyoko froze.

She wasn't ready. No matter how long they had been together, Kyoko could never get her heartbeat to slow when he so easily left himself exposed. He walked out in nothing but a white robe that was loosely tied around his body, leaving most of his chest bare. The droplets of water glistened as it dripped down his hair and body. The heat that pooled in her lower stomach was practically burning a hole through her skin.

She couldn't say anything. Kyoko could only sit on the white bed in complete silence.

"Did you take a look at the pool outside?" Ren casually asked as he walked over to the dresser, not noticing the reaction of his wife.

"T-t-t-the what?" Kyoko stammered.

"The pool. You said you were going to take dip."

"I did?"

Ren turned around with arched eyebrows. "Yeah, you did. Did you forget?"

Feeling her heart do a somersault at his stare, Kyoko quickly turned away and tightly held her hands together in her lap. "Yeah, I guess so."

The sounds of his muffled footsteps echoed on blast as he made his way around the large white bed. Kyoko instinctively raised her eyes to his and nearly squealed at the sight. He towered over like a Greek god. The power that emanated from him nearly swallowed her up whole.

Slowly, Ren leaned down and met her astonished gaze. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand with confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Kyoko shook her head in earnest. "Nothing! Nothing's wrong!"

In an instant, Ren understood. He knew this reaction of hers well. The pitchiness in her voice, the way her eyes wouldn't blink, her inability to look at him for more than two seconds, Ren understood all of these signs. Feeling the corner of his lips turn upward at her innocence, he raised his hand to her hair and wound a lock around his fingers.

"Really? Nothing's wrong?" he asked in a voice that was lower than needed.

She froze at his movement.

"Nothing at all?" Ren murmured, leaning in closer.

Kyoko squeaked when his arm snaked around her waist, his scent enveloping her completely.

"Nothing's wrong!" she replied in a breathless haste as she accidentally placed both of her hands upon his naked chest.

He smiled wickedly when her unblinking eyes trailed to her hands. Unable to hold back, Ren pushed her onto the bed until she was fully under him. "Really? Because I have a feeling something is _very_ wrong," he whispered against her neck.

At the touch of his lips, Kyoko stopped breathing. The electricity around the both of them crackled dangerously. Bit by bit, she was losing her control especially when Ren's hands began to travel knowingly up her body. Fearlessly, she reached a hand between the lapels of the robe and ran her fingernails across his chest.

Satisfied to hear a hiss escape his lips, Kyoko relaxed and met his eyes. However, the knots in her stomach seemed to coil even tighter when she saw how intense he was. The lust in his eyes was so strong. But remembering that she had something important to discuss, Kyoko gave a slight shake of her head and said in the steadiest voice she could muster, "Actually, there is something I want to talk about."

"By all means," he murmured as he gently took her earlobe into his mouth, "talk all you want. I want to hear your voice."

She blushed deeply when she realized his double meaning. Of course, if the subject wasn't so serious, Kyoko would have given in. Just the nipping at her ear had her almost completely undone. Ren knew her oh-too-well.

But taking in a deep breath, she reached for his face and firmly held them between her hands. "I mean it, Ren. It's important."

"So is this," he insisted, kissing her fingers.

An unwilling sigh of contentment escaped her lips when he took her finger into his mouth. Shaking her head vigorously to clear her now fuzzy thoughts, Kyoko stammered, "I p-p-promise it's related."

"To this?" Ren asked with a deep chuckle, biting gently.

She nodded as her heart forcefully reacted.

Clearly interested now, he moved around her slender body until he was lying down beside her, her back pressed to his front. He placed an arm over her stomach and hooked his chin into her shoulder. "Alright, you wore me down."

Kyoko laughed breathlessly and laced her fingers through his. "I was going to say the same."

Ren chuckled, innocently kissing her hair.

Breathing in a now much needed breath or air and intuitively squeezing his hand, Kyoko asked in barely a whisper, "Have you thought about it?"

He didn't reply.

She turned around and saw the puzzled look in his eyes. "Having kids?"

His eyes widened for just a second before he let out a tired smile. Ren moved his head from side to side and pulled her closer. "I knew it. Father, pressured you, didn't he?"

"No, he didn't! It's not pressure at all! I just—I want to know."

Something in her face must have reassured him of her reasons because Ren softly let out a sigh and nodded. "I have," he murmured quietly.

"And…?" Kyoko asked.

He smiled guiltily. "It sounds nice." But with a fervent shake of his head, Ren said, "Don't take this as me pushing you though, Kyoko. If you don't—"

She quickly placed a finger to his lips. "What if I do?"

"Really?" Ren inquired with wide eyes. "You do?"

Kyoko nodded as she snuggled closer to his chest. "I think so. Having a child with you seems, to put it your way, _nice_." She raised her head and saw his softened and somewhat-amused gaze. "But at the same time, I'm concerned."

"About what?"

Breathing in deeply, Kyoko mumbled, "I don't exactly have a good background when it comes to…mothering."

Ren froze. After the four years they had been together, Kyoko had never once brought up her mother. It was almost like a taboo subject. Ren had no idea of the details of what truly happened between Kyoko and her, but it wasn't like he needed to hear it. Ren was more than aware of the emotional trauma that she had left upon her young daughter after abandoning her. Even now, he could feel the resentment rising up his throat.

But the more important matter at hand was how fragile Kyoko was. He could only fathom how hard it was for her to speak the words, let alone admit them. Feeling compassion for his wife more than ever, Ren tightened his arms around her as she pressed her face into his chest. And determinedly wanting to fix this, he suddenly whispered into the dark:

"Want to hear a story?"

Kyoko raised her eyes in surprise. "A story?"

Ren nodded and at her still confused expression, added, "I promise it's related."

Smiling at his teasing reply, she made a show of getting comfortable and said, "I'm all ears."

"Well, do you remember the time when you were assigned as my personal manager after Yashiro got sick?"

Her eyes widened in remembrance as she nodded. "Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Did I ever tell you that that was one of the first moments I fell in love with you?"

Kyoko's jaw dropped in surprise. Even though it was quite a selfish thought, she couldn't help but say in the safety of her own mind, _"That early?"_

Ren must have understood what she was thinking because he suddenly let out a laugh and touched his nose to hers. "Yes, I was already infatuated with you then," he admitted. "Is that pathetic?"

"Of course not! I'm just really—flattered."

He smiled. "Well, you gave me a good reason to be."

She furrowed her eyebrows, silently asking her question.

"You took care of me, didn't you?" he answered.

Recalling his childish refusal of not being sick before the impending flu, Kyoko rolled her eyes and replied, "I wouldn't have had to if you just listened. I never met a man who was so stubborn."

"But if I wasn't sick, there wouldn't have been a reason for you to stay over, now would there?"

Kyoko blushed at the thought.

"And I wouldn't have come to realize just how amazing you are."

"Now that's really pushing it," Kyoko murmured in embarrassment.

Shaking his head, Ren replied, "No, that's an understatement. At the time, you probably hated me for all of the things I've done to you, but no matter what, you did everything you could to help me feel better. You completely went out of your way to buy me medicine and prepare dinner, even staying over just to make sure I was okay. That is truly and utterly amazing."

She stared at him shyly and mumbled, "I didn't hate you."

Ren chuckled. "You're missing the point, sweetheart."

Exhaling deeply, Kyoko replied in defense, "I only did all of that because I was worried about you. I was responsible for what happened to you and I needed to do my part."

"And that right there is what a mother is."

Kyoko's head sprang up in surprise. "What?"

Ren smiled and squeezed her body to his. "Kyoko, a mother is someone who not only worries and cares for her child, but also whole-heartedly understands her role in that child's life. From the very start, you had that ability. You did everything you could for a man you probably didn't care much for. Can you imagine how you would be for your own child?"

She couldn't respond. His kind words ran through her head, filling her with a hope that made her feel so incredibly light and free.

"You're selfless, kind, and warm. You put everything you have into helping others and what's even more incredible is that you do it unconditionally. Tell me did you ever once think that I needed to repay you?"

Kyoko shook her head.

Ren smiled at her honesty, murmuring, "Exactly because that's who you naturally are. So despite the painful past you endured, you still have a heart that's greater and more pure than anyone's in this world."

Seeing her eyes glisten, Ren tenderly rubbed his thumb across her cheek and whispered, "You will be a great mother."

The tears spilled over before she could help it. Never in her life had she felt these kinds of emotions that flowed through her like an endless river. Clutching to Ren, Kyoko allowed the long-awaited tears to stream down her face. She never realized how much she wanted and needed to hear these words. Even though she had denied the pain for so long, Kyoko was still crippled from her past memories. But to hear such tender words had completely liberated her. And the fact that it came from the man she loved more than life itself made it even more heart-wrenching.

Tightly holding her in silent support, Ren planted kisses upon her hair as he whispered soothingly into her ear. When the shaking in her shoulders finally slowed and a few long minutes had passed, Kyoko raised her tear-stricken eyes to his. He smiled gently and kissed her on the lips.

"Sorry," Kyoko murmured tearfully when he leaned back.

He shook his head with a smile. "Don't be."

Feeling a slight embarrassment for crying, Kyoko placed her cheek over his heart and took a great comfort from his steady heartbeats. Then absent-mindedly running her fingers up and down his arm, she murmured steadily, "How is it that you always know what to say to me?"

"Years of practice, darling," Ren replied with ease.

She smiled and raised her head, playfully asking in a mocking voice, "Are you insinuating that I'm difficult?"

"Nope, you're just an art worth studying."

Arching an eyebrow at his eloquent response, Kyoko rolled over until she straddled his hips. She placed both of her hands upon his bare chest and stared down at his bemused expression. "Well then, I guess you'll have a good answer for what I'm going to ask next."

He blinked in surprise. "Which is?"

"Why did you _really_ subtract ten points that day after I was relieved from being your manager?"

And to her utmost pleasure, she saw her husband's face blanch in alarm when he realized to his horror that she actually remembered. Grinning from ear to ear, Kyoko leaned in, asking in an interrogating voice, "Well? Your reply, Mr. I-Have-A-Good-Response-For-Everything?"

He averted his eyes and mumbled quickly, "I told you, because I used the wrong stamp."

Kyoko narrowed her eyes, unconvinced.

Trying another route, he replied again, "It was so long ago, sweetheart. I don't even remember anymore."

"Kuon…"

Ren cautiously returned his nervous gaze to hers. Whenever Kyoko murmured his real name in such a low voice, he knew she wasn't playing games. She was absolutely relentless at times like these. So with a defeated sigh, he ran a hand through his damp hair and said, "You're not going to like it."

"Try me," she answered with crossed arms.

And knowing he had no other choice, he confessed in a barely audible whisper, "I was frustrated…when you admitted so honestly that everything you did wasn't actually for me, but because it was your duty to."

Her eyes widen. "Really?"

Ren groaned in humiliation at her shocked tone and threw an arm over his eyes. "I know. I'm pathetic, I'm childish, and I in no way had any right to do that."

"Wow, I never knew. I thought you did it to spite me."

He laughed darkly. "Yeah, like that's any better."

Giggling now, she tugged his arm away and looked down at his guilty expression. She then leaned forward and kissed his unmoving lips. "Then I guess this is a first," Kyoko said.

"First what?" he asked uncertainly.

"The first time I'm actually happy I didn't get a perfect score."

Ren stopped as he looked up at Kyoko who was smiling as brightly as the stars behind her. Surprised, he reached a hand to her face and asked, "You're not disappointed?"

She shrugged. "Why should I be? It's in the past. Besides, if you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have tried so hard to get 100 points from you."

He smiled. "You have more than 100 points."

"Oh yeah?" Kyoko asked humorously. "How many do I have?"

Chuckling, Ren easily propped himself into a sitting position and gently cradled her face within his strong hands. He placed a kiss upon her forehead and murmured, "You have my everything."

She smiled warmly at his sincerity and whispered, "As do you."


	15. Chapter 15: Back Where She Belongs

Greetings everyone! Hope you all are enjoying summer vacation! Thankfully with so much more time on my hands, I can dedicate myself to more writing. YAY! So once again, thank you for all the wonderful compliments for the previous chapter and I hope you enjoy this one! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

><p>She wrapped her arms tightly around the young actress, bawling uncontrollably upon her shoulder. Trying very hard to hold herself together, Kyoko returned the embrace and said in earnest, "Ami-san, please don't cry. We'll see each other again soon. I promise."<p>

"I know," Ami blubbered, "but it won't be the same without you here! I'll miss you so much!"

Kyoko sniffed and squeezed her tighter. "I'll miss you too."

"Now, now Ami," Emi chided lightly as she placed a firm hand upon her shoulder, "if you keep holding onto her like that, Kyoko is going to miss her flight."

"Let her! That way she can stay here forever!"

Emi groaned in helplessness. Ami was impossible to argue with when she was so emotional. Once she got going, there was no way of stopping her. But Kyoko gently released her petite friend and leaned back with an understanding smile. "That won't be any good, Ami-san. Everyone booked a flight to Japan already, right? What are you going to do when I'm not there?"

Ami wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. "Good point," she hiccupped glumly. "It won't make any sense to visit you if you're here."

Kyoko smiled in agreement.

"Besides, Tsuruga-san won't be happy to know that his wife was forced to stay in New York because of her friends," Yui added in a soft voice.

Laughing tearfully, Ami said, "You're right. I'm being ridiculous."

The loud rumble of a plane suddenly pulled the girls' attention towards the window as they watched a silver bird shoot down the concrete runway. The blue sky was beautifully clear without a single cloud, the perfect day for flying.

"Ladies and gentleman, Flight 2408, New York to Tokyo, is on time and will board in a couple of minutes. Passengers please grab your belongings and make your way towards the gate. Thank you."

"That's me," Kyoko murmured as she turned back to her friends.

Emi sighed heavily. "I can't believe two months have already passed."

Yui nodded with a sad smile.

"It's been incredible," Ami sniffed.

Kyoko could already feel the tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. This farewell was so much harder than she could have ever anticipated. Although she was more than excited to go home, she didn't want to say goodbye to her dear friends at all. They were practically her family. It was difficult to accept the fact that she wouldn't be seeing them every morning or listening to their humorous comments. She wanted nothing more than to take them home with her.

Emi suddenly gave a slight shake of her head and said, "Alright, one last group hug, everyone. And let's make it count."

With a sob, Ami jumped back into Kyoko's arms as Emi and Yui stepped forward. Kyoko was squashed in the middle, but she could have cared less. Their warm embrace was so comforting. It helped ease the ache in her heart that throbbed with every breath she took.

Unwillingly, the girls finally stepped back and helped Kyoko pull her suitcase to the gate. The kind attendant took Kyoko's ticket and gestured her to walk down the metal hallway. But before she took another step upon the patterned floor, the actress turned around and flashed a tearful smile back at her group of friends.

She wiped a tear from her eye and said in what she hoped was a strong voice, "Goodbye everyone."

"Have a safe flight, Kyoko."

"Don't worry. We'll see you in three weeks, okay?"

"Call us as soon as you can!"

Kyoko nodded vigorously and with one last wave, she walked through the gate without another look back. She pulled her suitcase through the small door of the plane and saw the familiar leather chairs, the flat screen televisions, and the mini-bar at the back of the cabin. She sucked in a deep breath and handed her suitcase over to another attendant before she took her seat besides the window.

But just as she was about to close her eyes in emotional exhaustion, she suddenly heard steady footsteps coming up the ramp. Curious, Kyoko leaned her head into the aisle and saw to her surprise Touya boarding the plane.

"Kyoko!" he said in great relief. "I'm so glad I caught you!"

"Touya! What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting," she said as she quickly got to her feet and walked towards him.

He shook his head. "Did you really think I was going to let you leave without a proper goodbye?"

Kyoko smiled tenderly. Then without a single hint of hesitation, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. Touya blushed beet red as he returned her embrace. Even now, he couldn't deny the intense pounding of his heart when he was so close to her. She still had such an effect on him.

But before he could dwell on that dangerous thought, he suddenly heard Kyoko murmur, "Thank you for everything, Touya. There's no way I could have done any of this without you."

"Nonsense. You would have done just fine."

Shaking her head adamantly, Kyoko replied, "No, I needed you and I'm so thankful I met you."

When they released each other, Touya stepped back and smiled sadly. "Kyoko, won't you seriously consider a permanent job here? You're already so well-acquainted and I swear I will take care of everything else. You won't have to worry about a thing."

Kyoko laughed lightly and placed a hand upon his arm. "I don't think I could ever tell you how tempting that offer is, Touya. But I have too many important people back at home."

He nodded, murmuring in a dejected tone, "I thought you'd say that."

"But I know we'll see each other again. You won't get rid of me that easily."

Touya forced a chuckle and smiled. "That's a promise. Give my uncle my regards, won't you?"

"Of course."

Then with one final, quick embrace, Touya glumly walked out of the plane and left Kyoko on her own once more. She sighed and gave a slight shake of her head. These farewells were really starting to take a toll and she didn't have the heart to go through any more of them. She slowly walked back and sunk down into her seat, thankful for the comfortable cushions and cool leather. It helped to calm her nerves.

Absent-mindedly running a finger over her wedding band, Kyoko closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the headrest. In a few hours, she was going to be home. Back in Tokyo, back in the condo, and more importantly, back in Ren's arms.

She smiled.

"It's been fun, New York," she whispered.

Then with one last deep, cleansing breath, Kyoko opened her eyes resolutely and set her sights on nothing, but the long flight back home.

* * *

><p>Tapping her heeled boot upon the vinyl floor, Kanae glanced at her smooth wristwatch and then back at the bright screen above of her that displayed all the flight times. She clicked her tongue.<p>

"_No delay…that means she should be arriving soon."_

Kanae breathed in deeply. She hadn't the faintest reason why, but her heart was beating faster than normal. It was absolutely ridiculous. What in the world was she nervous about? It was just the airport. There was absolutely nothing to be nervous about.

Suddenly, before she could finish her useless mantra, the word ARRIVING flashed bright white beside Flight 2408 and Kanae could feel her stomach lurch uncomfortably. She clenched her hands into tight fists. Then forcing her long legs to walk, she irritably made her way towards the gate, hoping the movement would calm her nerves.

But once she was as close as she could possibly get, Kanae had to resort to pacing. Bit by bit, a scowl crept across her face. She couldn't believe how anxious she felt. It was so annoying! From her intense reaction, people would have easily thought she was waiting for the return home of her lover or something.

"MO! What the hell is wrong with me?" Kanae snapped from out of nowhere, dragging both of her hands through her long black hair. "She's just coming home! Why am I so STRESSED OUT?"

Then, for some inexplicable reason, Kanae's feet suddenly came to a standstill. She raised her head a fraction of an inch and smoothly turned around. The sight before her made her eyes widen in terror.

But it was too late.

She was caught red-handed.

"MOKO-SAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!"

A blur of bright orange slammed itself straight into her chest, knocking the breath right from out of her. Two trembling arms tightly wrapped themselves around Kanae's waist and squeezed with all of their might. Kanae desperately tried to say something, but her ribcage painfully pressed against her lungs, rendering her speechless.

"I missed you so much, Moko-san!" Kyoko sobbed uncontrollably. "I'M SO HAPPY!"

Gasping, Kanae huffed, "LET—GO! CAN'T—BREATHE!"

Kyoko squeaked in alarm and quickly released her slender friend. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!"

Kanae gulped for air like a fish on dry land, feeling her lungs expand greedily. She weakly leaned over and placed both hands upon her knees for support.

Nibbling on her lower lip in worry, Kyoko tentatively took a step forward and leaned down. "Moko-san?" she said in a tiny voice. "Are you okay?"

"What do you think?" her friend replied, aggravation seeping through her words. "You almost _KILLED_ me."

Kyoko smiled sheepishly at her breathless tone. "I'm sorry! I was just so excited to see you that I over-reacted. Sorry."

With her anger flaring, Kanae raised her head and retorted, "Well next time, greet people like a normal—!"

But before she could finish her comment, Kanae's eyes suddenly widen in blatant surprise when she caught a look at Kyoko's face. The way her golden eyes stared at her with glee and a flicker of concern, the slight pucker of her pink lips, and her smooth skin were all so…different. Kyoko was practically glowing. Even the clothes that hugged her figure were different. She looked like a supermodel, through and through.

"Moko-san?"

Kanae smiled warily. Even with the obvious physical change, she realized with warmth that her voice was still the same—the same pleading, and oddly sweet sound.

"What?" Kanae finally answered as she straightened up and calmly brushed the front of her dark wash jeans.

"Are you mad?" Kyoko asked timidly.

"Of course I am! You wrinkled my clothes!"

She smiled at the familiar chiding tone. "But you still look really good."

Kanae blinked in surprise at her easy-going compliment, feeling her heart oddly swell. Then with an annoyed scoff, she said, "Those three months in New York must have made you forget. When do I _ever _look bad?"

Laughing cheerfully, Kyoko reached out and held Kanae's hand. "You're absolutely right. How could I forget?"

Kanae let out a huff, leaving her hand within Kyoko's warm grasp.

"I'm really happy you're here, Moko-san," Kyoko confessed.

"You should be. I took a whole day off work to be here."

Touched and flattered, she stepped forward and tenderly wrapped her arms around Kanae, this time making a note not to squeeze too hard. With new tears already at the corner of her eyes, Kyoko mumbled onto her shoulder, "Thank you."

Kanae let out a small, concealed smile and patted her awkwardly on the back. "It's alright. Even I need a break sometime and someone has to make sure you got home okay. I might as well kill two birds with one stone."

Kyoko laughed and moved back. She didn't realize just how much she missed seeing Kanae's smile, a smile that only she could ever understand. There was no mistaking it. Kanae was here for her.

"Did you wait long?"

Shaking her head and leading Kyoko towards the exit, she replied, "Not too long."

"How did you get here?" Kyoko asked as she pulled her luggage behind, naturally linking her arm through Kanae's.

"I got a ride with Tsuruga-san and Yashiro. They're waiting outside."

Kyoko suddenly stopped, pulling Kanae to a stop in the process.

Turning around in surprise at her abrupt halt, Kanae asked in a confused tone, "What?"

"_How_ did you get here?" Kyoko asked again, except this time with her eyes the size of two large baseballs.

Kanae arched an eyebrow at her stunned expression. "Tsuruga-san and Yashiro. Did you not hear me?"

And to her alarm, Kyoko suddenly broke out into a massive grin—a grin that sent shivers down her spine. But in a flash, she swiftly shook her head and continued on forward, pulling a confused Kanae along the way. "Oh no, I heard you. I thought you said you got a ride with 'Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san,'" Kyoko answered with a wave of her hand.

Kanae spluttered in disbelief before she retorted, "That's what I said! Tsuruga-san and Yash—"

She froze as she caught Kyoko smirking at her out of the corner of her eye. In an instant, her face blanched. She had slipped.

"_Shit!"_

But quickly gaining her composure and yanking her arm from Kyoko, Kanae stomped forward and said fiercely over her shoulder, "I'm leaving! You can go home on your own for all I care!"

"No way! I can't do that, Moko-san!" Kyoko said with the same wide grin on her face as she ran after her. "You have to tell me all about you and Yashiro-san first!"

"THERE'S NOTHING TO TELL!"

"Oh really?" Kyoko asked, her eyebrows rising in question. "So when did you start calling him without honorifics?"

"MO! I MADE A MISTAKE! DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF EVERYTHING?"

"I'm not the one yelling, Moko-san," she pointed out with a giggle.

Kanae spluttered more incoherent responses before she made a swift turn down the hall. She walked as fast as she could without breaking into a full-on run, but Kyoko easily kept up with her.

"So how many dates have you both been on?" she asked in an annoyling curious voice.

"We haven't—gone—on—dates," Kanae forcefully answered through gritted teeth, refusing to give Kyoko the satisfaction of hearing her get all riled up.

"Alright fine. How many times have you guys 'gone out?'" she asked, making quotations with her fingers.

"Mo! Kyoko! You're so annoying! We've never gone out!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Not even once?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Positive?"

"Yes!"

"Do you like him?"

"YE—!"

Kanae instantly slapped a hand over her mouth as Kyoko laughed out loud. She spun herself around with her cheeks flushed scarlet, facing her friend who was practically shaking with amusement.

"My my, Moko-san. How bold. I never thought you would actually admit it."

This time, Kanae could have cared less about how she looked. Lunatic or not, she had to go. Quickly spinning on her heel, Kanae ran like she was running for dear life. She couldn't handle Kyoko's gleaming smile anymore. But after three months away from her insistent friend, Kanae had completely forgotten that escaping was damn near IMPOSSIBLE. Kyoko was practically part blood-hound. She ALWAYS found you.

And before she knew it, Kanae had run right smack-dab into her. She nearly shrieked in horror until Kyoko firmly wrapped a hand around her thin arm and pulled her back towards the exit.

"Moko-san, what are you doing? You can't keep Yashiro-san waiting! That's really rude!"

"Damn it, Kyoko! If you don't stop talking—!"

"Do _you_ want to talk then?"

"NO! I WANT YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Right, because you and Yashiro-san need privacy, right?"

"AAHHHHHH!"

Kyoko only laughed louder in response. She knew she was being cruel, but the look on Kanae's face was too obvious. She knew she hit the nail on the head and there was no way she was going to pass up this chance. Kanae made it way too easy.

"Mo, go back to New York!" Kanae shouted. "Go and never come back!"

Shaking her head with a giggle, Kyoko replied with ease, "I can't do that, Moko-san! You need me here."

"And why would I _EVER_ need you?"

"Well, who else is going to plan your wedding?" she answered with a snicker.

"OH MY GOD!"

* * *

><p>"I'm surprised, Ren. I thought you were going to glue yourself to Kyoko-chan as soon as she stepped off the plane."<p>

Ren laughed as he smoothly turned the steering wheel to the right, maneuvering his silver sports car down the highway. "I'm not the only person she missed, Yashiro. Besides, I spent time with her in New York. It's only fair that she spend alone time with Kotonami-san as well."

"But that was two months ago."

Sighing heavily, he murmured, "You don't have to remind me. It's been hard, but at the same time, I don't want to be too selfish."

"Is that why you didn't greet her at the gate?" Yashiro asked with a grin.

Ren nodded. "Kotonami-san looked like she really wanted to do it. I didn't want to interfere."

"Well, aren't you thoughtful?"

"I try," Ren answered with a small smile. "But regardless, you didn't have to stay back with me, Yashiro. You could have gone with Kotonami-san if you wanted."

Yashiro froze.

If that comment was directed towards anybody else, Ren wouldn't have sounded so suspicious. In fact, most would say he was just being the thoughtful person that Yashiro had just complimented seconds before. But the horrified look on Yashiro's face was more than enough to see that his friend's remark wasn't nearly as innocent as it seemed, not to mention the wicked smile that Ren horribly failed to hide.

"I have no idea what you mean," Yashiro finally stammered with a shake of his head.

"Really?" Ren asked with amused skepticism. "That's the best you can come up with? You have no idea what I mean?"

Opening and closing his mouth in shock, Yashiro could provide no response as Ren casually added, "You know, after all the years you've teased me about Kyoko, I would think you would have more experience in knowing how to deflect these kinds of accusations, Yashiro."

"Of course I—!"

"But then again, maybe it's because you don't want to?" Ren interrupted with a wink.

"There's nothing going on between me and Kotonami-san!" he piped up defensively.

"Too late. That ship has sailed."

"And what makes you think I like her anyway?" Yashiro asked back with a glare.

Ren scoffed. "You're talking to the guy who tried to hide his love for years, Yashiro. Believe me, I know."

"I do not love her!"

Chuckling in response at Yashiro's almost pleading tone, Ren smoothly made a left and drove down a street lined with tall, sparkling buildings. And there on his right was the familiar silver structure that he lovingly called home. Once he parked in the underground garage, he swiftly pulled the key from the ignition and closed the car door behind him.

"Ren, do you hear me?" Yashiro demanded as he fell into step with his tall friend whose amused smile seemed to be permanently glued upon his face. "I do not have those sorts of feelings for her!"

"I hear you, I hear you," he replied with a wave of his hand.

"No, you do not hear me! You CLEARLY did not hear me!"

Ren laughed and shook his head. "Yashiro, are you trying to convince me or are you trying to convince yourself here?"

"Wha—? You—! I can't believe—! You are the most frustrating—!"

Clapping a brotherly hand upon Yashiro's shoulder, Ren turned to him with a teasing smile and said, "Deep breaths, Yashiro. You wouldn't want to look so riled up when Kotonami-san brings Kyoko home. It's a good way to tip her off, isn't it?"

Ren chuckled to himself as he heard Yashiro splutter more incomprehensible nonsense behind him. Through the lobby, up the elevator, and even when they walked down the hallway, his bespectacled manager tried every excuse in the book to get Ren to believe him, but it was no use. Yashiro had already made it so painfully clear.

But once they approached the front door, he surprisingly let up and groaned in helplessness. "Forget it; you're not going to listen to me anyway. So why bother trying?"

"Of course, Yashiro. Whatever you say."

Yashiro's eyes narrowed in pure frustration as Ren laughed quietly under his breath. But just as he stood before the wooden front door, Ren suddenly exhaled deeply. A part of him was just going to knock normally. If he had had his key, he would have just gone in on his own, but remembering that he had lent it for the party, Ren realized that knocking was the only way inside. He let out a miserable groan.

"Just humor him," Yashiro advised with a smile when he saw his friend's reluctance.

Ren moved his head from side to side in wariness. "I always do."

So succumbing to the ridiculous secret password set up by none other than the Boss himself, Ren knocked three times, pounded two times, wriggled the doorknob counterclockwise, and finally did a rapid string of tiny knocks before he heard the turn of the deadbolt.

The door silently swung open and there standing in a dark black-and-white tuxedo was Sebastian who bowed low in greeting. "Welcome home, Tsuruga-san. I'm surprised you followed through with the knock."

Ren smiled weakly. "So am I."

Silently amused, the stoic assistant stepped aside and allowed Ren and Yashiro entrance into the room. Their jaws immediately dropped to the floor in shock. All of the home furniture had been moved to be replaced by a beautiful, green garden. The hardwood flooring was now covered with smooth grass, the windows were blacked out to look as if they were a part of the night sky, and a beautiful marble fountain was placed right in the center of the room.

Twinkling strings of lanterns were strung all around and there were canopy-like trees at every corner, basking the garden in a natural shadow. It was exactly the kind of place Kyoko dreamt about: her fairytale world brought to life. Ren moved his head in wonderment as he stepped forward, careful to avoid ruining the delicate flowerbeds around him. Everything was intricately detailed from the starry night-sky down to the last carefully crafted butterfly.

"This is going to be quite a clean-up," Yashiro mumbled with wide eyes.

Ren grimaced. That part was definitely true.

"Oh, we will deal with that when the time comes," a deep voice reassured with a chuckle.

Stepping out from under a beautiful canopy of roses, President Lory appeared in a bright velvet robe that was hooked around his neck. Adorned with a gold crown and holding a tall, glistening scepter, President Lory was the epitome of a King. His costume was insanely accurate, right down to his bright boot buckle.

"I thought you were going to stay with Kyoko-chan, Ren," he added as he walked forward.

"I figured you would need help with the party, but from what I can tell, you have everything under control. Is everyone here already?"

President Lory shook his head. "Ogata-kun went to grab more film for his camera and the rest of the crew is on their way now."

"You did all of this on your own?" Ren asked with surprise, twisting his head around to look at the dazzling garden once more.

And right on cue, a girly voice said in a proud voice, "Of course not! Grandfather couldn't have possibly done this without me."

Ren turned around and felt his lips curve into a warm smile. Maria, dressed in a lavender ball-gown with her hair tied up in soft curls, walked towards him and bent her nimble legs into a curtsy at his gaze. In just a few short years, Maria had grown into quite the lady. And even though she was still young, she was actually very tall for her age. In fact, Ren could no longer just pluck her off the ground anymore. So when he went to embrace her, she only had to stand on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his neck.

"You look beautiful, Maria."

She smiled brightly when she stepped back. "Thank you, Ren-sama."

"The gown really suits you," Yashiro complimented with kind eyes. "You did a superb job."

Giggling with glee, Maria replied, "It wasn't the sewing that was hard. The design was what I kept changing, but I'm happy with the result. And I'm glad that the both of you are here. Your costumes are in the back."

"COSTUMES?" Ren and Yashiro asked incredulously.

Maria placed both of her hands upon her hips at their dumbfounded expression. "Of course! We have to keep with the theme, don't we?"

"But what are we dressed up as?" Ren asked as Maria pushed him and Yashiro down the hall, leaving President Lory chortling in amusement.

"Well, you're obviously going to be Onee-sama's prince and Yashiro-san will be Moko-san's."

"I'M GOING TO BE _WHAT_ FOR _WHO_?" Yashiro yelped.

Ren laughed. "Kotonami-san's prince, Yashiro. Weren't you listening?" he asked with a smirk. Now that Yashiro would be joining him, Ren had no complaints.

"I can't—!"

"No buts, Yashiro-san!" Maria cut in sternly as she ushered the men into the guestroom. "This isn't up for discussion. Now, Jelly-san will help with your costumes. Onee-sama should be back soon so don't take too long, okay?" Then with one quick wave in farewell, Maria left Ren and Yashiro to Jelly, who was dressed in a poofy, blue tulle dress that made her look very much like a Fairy Godmother.

Jelly smiled widely at their stunned expressions. "Alright you two, get ready for the transformation of your lives," she said with a dramatic sweep of her hands.

And to both of the men's surprise, Jelly wasn't kidding. After a flurry of buttons, hair gel, and powder, Ren and Yashiro resurfaced as the idealistic Prince Charming of any woman's dreams. Ren took a good long look in the mirror and couldn't believe his eyes. His "prince-like" clothing was an off-white color with large gold buttons that were lined down the side of his body, in addition to similar colored trousers and jet-black shoes. His hair was delicately combed across his forehead which brought even more attention to his chocolate eyes. He barely recognized himself.

Yashiro, on the other hand, was dressed in a dark blue ensemble with silver clasps instead of buttons. His hair which was normally framed around his eyes was neatly slicked back this time, revealing every contour of his masculine face.

Ren chuckled at his friend's expression, commenting, "It's rare to see you like this. How do you feel?"

"Like a dress up doll," Yashiro answered, frowning as he picked at the expensive fabric. "Was this really necessary?"

"Well, it's certainly a nice change. You're not in a suit for once."

Yashiro glared, but failed to keep the smile at the corner of his lips. So with a defeated sigh, he said, "Well this is for Kyoko-chan, I suppose."

Ren laughed and nodded. After politely thanking Jelly, they walked out back into the hall and saw that more people had already arrived. Familiar faces of old friends and fellow actors all turned at the sounds of their footsteps. Ren smiled kindly in greeting as he made his way down the grassy steps. Yashiro was immediately swept away by a sea of fascinated bystanders who couldn't get over his tremendous change. He was practically blushing from head to toe by the number of "ooh's" and "ahh's" that escaped the lips of his new female fans.

Ren's smile grew as he watched Yashiro fidget with all the fuss they made over him. Nothing could have been more amusing. But deciding to take a step back, Ren walked across the room and thanked everyone else who came. He shook hands with Director Ogata and Sawara Takenori, chatted with his old Dark Moon cast, met up with some past directors both he and Kyoko worked with, and by the end, was surprised to see Taisho and his wife walk through the front door.

Hard-faced and incredibly stern, Taisho was the kind of father figure most men would fear. His piercing eyes and the grim line of his mouth were all signs that he was not a person to be toyed with. So as Ren made his way across the floor, nearly all the guests gasped in surprise when he reached out both arms and embraced him with such warmth.

"Thank you for coming here, Taisho," Ren murmured humbly.

"Well, I wouldn't want to miss her welcome home party," he replied in a naturally gruff voice, a smile at the corner of his dark eyes. "Have you been well?"

"Wonderful. You?"

"The restaurant has been busy, but overall the same."

"And I must say, that outfit suits you really well, Tsuruga-kun," Okami-san complimented with a laugh.

Ren grimaced. "Doesn't it seem a little much?"

"Of course not!" she insisted, brushing his worry away. "You look great."

Ren smiled kindly at the older couple. Although they were not Kyoko's blood relatives, he completely understood why she cared about them so deeply. Their kindness was so apparent in both their words and actions. And even though he hadn't known them for long, Ren didn't have a single doubt that they were wonderful people.

And after a few more polite exchanges, he kindly gestured them towards the kitchen for refreshments and appetizers before he walked towards the window and looked out at the scene before him. The bright colors of ball gowns and the slick attire of tuxedos created an atmosphere of both romance and grace. It was clear that the fairy tale ball was a success.

Ren laughed quietly to himself.

"_Kyoko is going to be so surprised,"_ he thought as he pictured her shocked and finally tearful expression when she realized just how many people had missed her.

Then for the first time in quite awhile, Ren silently closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall until all of his surroundings faded to black, safely entering a world that solely belonged to him. It was here where he could sit back and relax—a place where he could finally slow down and take in everything that had happened piece by piece.

So as his breathing began to slow, Ren realized with a light heart that never once in his life had he ever felt so happy to be alive. For as long as he could remember, he thought he didn't deserve to live, that his very own existence was a constant reminder of his need to be miserable. But as he blindly twisted his wedding band around his finger, Ren understood that he was wrong. He had a greater purpose now, a more fulfilling reason to live and breathe.

And it was all because of her.

Her smile, her warmth, her laugh, her love…in more ways than he could possibly explain, she had saved him. She effortlessly reached out a hand and pulled him out of a darkness that he had always believed to be inescapable. Ren knew he could never repay her. There was nothing he could do in return that would even come close to what she had done for him.

But as he stood there, waiting patiently for her return, Ren swore to himself that he would still try. Even though it would never be enough, even though his efforts may be futile, Ren was determined to give her at least the same happiness that she had selflessly given him.

Because even with all the fame and glory, the money and wealth, there was nothing in the world that would ever be as valuable or as comforting as her.

"Ren-sama!"

He quickly opened his eyes and saw Maria running towards him in pure excitement. "Onee-sama's coming! She's right up the hall! Come on, we have to make sure everything's perfect!"

Ren nodded with a serene smile, obediently reaching for her outstretched hand and all the while thinking silently to himself:

"_It already is…"_

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><p><strong>Pst! Before you review...this isn't the last. XD<strong>


	16. Epilogue

Hi everyone! Thank you for all the lovely reviews and comments! You guys always give me fuel to keep on writing. :D Please read and review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

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><p>Kyoko bent down onto her knees and cupped her hands over her eyes, trying to steal a peek at the tray in the oven. Noticing the nice rise of the dough, she smiled brightly and murmured under her breath, "Perfect."<p>

Extremely pleased that she didn't lose her knack for baking desserts, she made her way around the kitchen and got to work on the piles of dishes that were stacked in the sink. Kyoko had never been a messy cook before, but time had unfortunately gotten the best of her. Even waking up at eight did not ease the number of tasks she had to get done today.

But nevertheless, Kyoko gladly did so. It was such an important day after all and nothing was too much for him.

Cheerfully, she hummed a soft melody under her breath as she dipped her hands into the warm soapy water. She was concentrating so deeply on her task at hand that she didn't even notice the front door open and who had just returned home. Hearing her sweet voice from the kitchen, he quietly set down his bag upon the black couch and tiptoed towards the archway.

He sneakily poked his head through and smiled widely as he watched her move her head back and forth to the song she was now beautifully singing out loud. Then carefully measuring his every step upon the smooth marble floor, he inched closer and closer until he was standing right behind her.

He grinned mischievously, knowing exactly what kind of response he was about to get and more than eager to welcome it.

So with two arms enthusiastically flung about her waist, he yelled in a booming voice, "I'M HOME!"

Kyoko shrieked bloody murder and dropped the dish she had been rinsing with a _PLOP!_ into the water. But instantly recognizing the arms around her waist, she spun around and exclaimed in a stern voice, "HIZURI KUON! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

He giggled and looked up into her golden eyes. "No, you just made it way too easy, Mom."

Rolling her eyes and delicately running her hand through his dark blond locks, she playfully scolded, "Of course, blame me for your antics. Well, next time please consider your dear mom's poor heart, would you?"

Kuon laughed. Then hugging her tightly around the waist, he murmured into her apron, "I'm home."

She smiled and kissed him on the head. "Welcome home, sweetheart," she responded just as kindly.

Kuon looked up at her and flashed a brilliant smile. Even though he was only a boy of six, it didn't take a genius to see that he was quite a handsome little fellow. He had unique blue-green eyes that sparkled like the surface of the ocean, high smooth cheekbones, a slim nose, and a smile that easily had everyone fall head-over-heels in love with him. Just like his father, he was every bit as charming, but just like his mother, he was incredibly witty and confident.

But the one attribute that made Kuon such a special boy was the natural warmth he brought to people, whether it was through his actions or words. So with a heart larger than anyone's, he suddenly leaned back just a bit and placed a tiny hand over Kyoko's warm and bulging belly. His smile softened. "I'm home to you too, Sakura."

Then to his utmost surprise, he suddenly felt a slight pressure push against his hand. Kuon nearly shouted in surprise as Kyoko let out a giggle, loving the astonished look on her son's face. "Did you feel that?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah! Was that her?"

Kyoko nodded. "She's happy you're home too."

Placing his hand over her belly again, he whispered, "Really Sakura?"

Another tiny kick had Kuon jumping up and down in joy. "Wow, she did it again!" he hollered, bouncing like a tiny jack rabbit.

"What did she do again?" a male asked.

Turning their head towards the deep voice, Ren walked through with a bag of groceries in one hand and a curious gaze upon his face. Kuon ran towards his dad and quickly pulled him towards the sink. "Sakura!" he exclaimed in excitement. "She responded to me, Dad!"

"Really?" Ren asked in equal excitement, turning his eyes to Kyoko as he casually placed the bag onto the counter.

She nodded. "She's getting more rambunctious every day."

After pressing his usual, loving kiss against her temple, Ren placed a large hand over her stomach and only needed to wait another second before he felt the same movement. And just like father and son, Ren jumped up in surprise and shouted, "Holy—! When did she start doing that?"

"Just this morning," Kyoko laughed at his dumbstruck expression. "But never this much. She must be really excited that you're both here."

"Does it hurt, Mom?" Kuon asked worriedly, placing his small hand in hers.

Kyoko shook her head and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, more than touched by his concern. "Not at all," she answered. "Actually, I quite love it. She's just reminding me how happy she is."

Ren chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist and murmuring, "We all are."

Kyoko instinctively leaned back against his broad shoulder and instantly felt her body relax. Although she enjoyed being pregnant, she had to admit it was a bit of a strain on her body. Back aches, tired joints, and changes in appetite were just a few of the changes she underwent and there were still plenty more to come.

But thankfully, Kyoko was able to lower her stress significantly by easing off on work for the past week and spending most of the days at home. Ren, of course, would have preferred to have her stay home earlier. By the time she hit four months, he had already started to change the house to her convenience, such as removing anything sharp or dangerous, having pillows in just about every room (there was actually one sitting in the tub), and buying every food item known to man and stocking them in the pantry.

Kyoko assumed he would be less concerned after Kuon, but Ren was still the same: frantically making sure everything was perfect to the T.

Of course, Kyoko never once complained. In fact, she loved Ren even more so for taking such good care of her. His constant presence made her feel well protected and quite pampered. For instance, every day just as he walked right through the door, he would always come and find her, making sure she had everything she needed and of course, showering her with love until she was practically drowning.

Kyoko smiled as she felt his fingers absent-mindedly brushing up and down her arm, eliciting tiny ripples down her spine. Ever after all these years Ren still had such a hold over her. It was amazing how he deeply he affected her heart and mind. He could make her laugh uncontrollably in one instant and have her swoon the next. He really was her everything.

Ren let out a quiet chuckle and placed a tiny kiss upon her neck, recognizing her body's reaction immediately.

Kuon giggled at their embrace. "You're like Grandma and Grandpa."

Kyoko laughed. "And speaking of them," she added casually as she reached into the apron pocket, "this came in the mail for you today."

Reaching for the letter, Kuon eagerly read the scribbled words with wide eyes before he resurfaced with a wide grin and reported, "They're going to be here tomorrow!"

Ren nodded, catching onto his son's happy mood. "Yup, for the whole weekend."

Smiling from ear to ear, Kuon placed the folded letter into his pant pocket and exclaimed, "This is the best day ever!"

Then, as if someone had suddenly opened a window, a delicious smell gradually wafted throughout the kitchen. Kuon's eyes widen in glee as he eagerly turned his attention to the oven. Rushing forward, he looked through the dark glass and saw a familiar sight. "Angel cake!"

Laughing, Kyoko tousled his smooth hair and replied, "Of course! Did you really think I wasn't going to bake your favorite on your birthday?"

Kuon looked up at her and grinned. "You're the best, Mom."

Ren picked up his tiny son and gently seated him upon the dark countertop until they were staring eye to eye, brown to blue-green. "And what about your dad? What am I?" he asked in mock jealousy.

"Dad, I already complimented you today," Kuon answered with equally stern eyes, but unable to hold the joy from his face.

He pouted. "Yeah, but I didn't get to hear how I was the BEST at anything."

"You're such a child," Kyoko replied as she playfully flicked the back of his ear. "Did you forget that that should be Kuon's role?"

Kuon laughed at his father's obvious hurt appearance. "I got it, Dad," he began with a raised hand in order to put this matter to rest. "I know what you're best at."

"And what would that be?"

"You're the best at being teased," Kuon replied with a chuckle, watching his father's dark eyes narrow. "You take it really well."

Scooping up his wickedly smart son, Ren raised him high into the air and retorted with a grin, "What did you say, you little rascal?"

"Dad!" Kuon laughed as he was bounced up and down. "Put me down!"

Kyoko giggled, holding a hand over her open mouth. Even at her son's desperate and breathless pleas to be released, Ren only raised him higher, tickling him under the arms in the same process. "Mom! Help me!" Kuon begged with an obvious smile upon his lips as he gasped for air.

"Sorry sweetheart, but my hands are tied," Kyoko answered, making her way back towards the sink. "These dishes aren't going to wash themselves."

Ren chuckled. "Well what do you know? Looks like Mom's on my side for this one," he said as he gave another tickle. Then gently lowering his son into his arms, he affectionately touched his forehead to his and murmured under his breath, "So guess what your punishment is going to be for teasing good ol' Dad?"

Kuon raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"You're going to help me go over my lines," Ren answered with another bounce. "What do you say to that?"

"The script for your new movie came in?" Kuon exclaimed in excitement.

Ren frowned deeply. "If you're going to be that excited, I don't think this is the right punishment…"

"Dad!" Kuon wriggled out of his father's arms until his feet hit the floor. Then wrapping his small hand around three of Ren's fingers, he earnestly pulled him into the living room. "Show me the script! I want to know which character you'll be playing!"

Ren flashed Kyoko an apologetic smile (she sweetly waved him away in response) before obediently following his son onto the black couch and pulling out the packet of paper that was stuffed in a yellow envelope upon the coffee table. He leaned back against the leather cushion and flipped to the very first page of lines. "I'm going to be playing the cop, Isamu Goro," he answered, handing Kuon the script.

"Are you going to catch bad guys?" he asked, his eyes practically glowing with awe as he held the papers in his lap.

Ren nodded.

Kuon scooted closer to his father, exclaiming, "That's so cool, Dad! You'll be a like a superhero! So what's Isamu-san like? Is he tough? Scary? Quiet? Does he have a dark past?"

Chuckling, Ren wrapped an arm around his son's slender shoulders and casually crossed his long legs. Kuon always loved hearing about his dad's roles in movies and he got even more excited when he saw him act, especially on the occasions when Ren brought him to work. Already at such a young age, he was deeply fascinated with the acting world. Even at times when they were just playing together, Kuon was immaculate at setting the scene and making sure his every action was in agreement with the state of his character. Whether it was protecting the king as a valiant knight or saving a girl from a group of kidnappers, Kuon tried very hard to be as accurate and realistic as possible.

Thus, he was very much like his mother in that aspect too, a huge stickler for details.

"Well," Ren began in a soothing voice, comforted by the warmth of his son pressing against his side, "Isamu Goro used to be a criminal himself actually, until he was horribly betrayed, costing him the love of his life. And after years of rotting away in jail, filled with nothing but torment and guilt, he was oddly set free under the condition that he would go back into the world of crime, but this time as a spy with the sole intent of wiping out the people he had previously worked under. Thus, he's now a fully reformed cop, desiring nothing more than to enact revenge for his lost love."

Kuon nodded in understanding. "So he's a hateful man?"

"Well, what do you think?" Ren asked instead. "How do you think I should play him?"

Screwing his face up in concentration, Kuon leaned his chin into the palm of his hands. Ren held back his chuckle as he watched his son come up with a response. It was always interesting to see the world through a child's eyes, especially one as young as Kuon. In fact, on multiple occasions, his son helped him with his roles by doing nothing else but providing with him insight that was lost to him now as a grown man.

"I got it!" Kuon suddenly cried, turning back to his curious father with a satisfied expression.

"I'm all ears."

"Okay, I think it's pretty obvious he's upset, so he's not going to be a nice guy."

Ren nodded. "I completely agree."

"But, the fact that he needs to seek out revenge means he's still sad about what happened, so I don't think he's completely evil."

Blinking in surprise at how he had come to that conclusion, Ren asked, "You think wanting revenge means you're sad?"

Kuon nodded. "When you're sad, you can't forget, right?"

Ren blew out a breath, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.

"What's wrong, Dad?" Kuon asked worriedly. "Am I wrong?"

He shook his head in earnest and firmly squeezed his son's shoulders. "Not at all. I think you're absolutely correct. It just amazes me how smart you're getting day by day."

Kuon grinned proudly. "Like you, right?"

"Nope," Ren answered, lovingly touching his nose to his. "You will be much, much smarter than me."

But before his son could disagree, the doorbell suddenly let out a single chime, signaling the arrival of guests. Kuon eagerly turned his head towards the front door and got to his feet. Ren laughed. "We both know who that is."

Nodding with pure excitement, Kuon dashed towards the door and yelled over his shoulder, "I got it, Mom!"

And after checking the peep hole like his parents had always taught him to, he swiftly unlatched the golden lock and twisted the doorknob. He broke out into a grin as the door swung open to reveal his two favorite people. "UNCLE YASHIRO! AUNT KANAE!"

Yashiro, who was dressed in a brown leather jacket, a casual dress shirt and trousers, easily picked him up into his arms and greeted in a cheerful voice, "Hello Kuon. Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you, Uncle Yashiro," Kuon replied in turn, hugging the bespectacled man closer.

"You're getting quite big, aren't you?" Kanae added as she gingerly ran the back of her hand against his smooth cheek whilst standing beside Yashiro.

"Yup! Mom says I'm going to be as big as Dad when I'm older."

"Most likely," she answered with a nod of agreement.

Kuon smiled and reached out both of his hands towards her. Confused by his action, Kanae reluctantly mirrored his movement and held out both of her arms as well. Yashiro chuckled at the odd exchange and fluidly stepped forward so that Kuon could easily shift himself into her embrace. Kanae was too shocked to do anything before she felt his arms wrap around her neck. She stared into his innocent eyes with surprise.

Kuon giggled at her expression and placed a kiss upon her cheek. "You look really pretty, Aunt Kanae."

Wearing a dark purple coat that reached beyond her knees and a black knitted dress underneath, she blushed profusely and narrowed her eyes. "You're certainly like your father, alright," Kanae replied with a wary shake of her head, "Always knowing just what to say to people."

Used to her stern personality by now, he laughed brightly and shook his head. "I didn't get that from Dad."

"Then who did you get it from?"

"I got my honesty from Mom," he answered with a tender squeeze of her slender neck.

By now, Kanae couldn't hold back the laugh. She had never met someone who was so charismatic and downright clever in her life. The way he brushed her comment away with such a smart remark clearly did not represent his age. He was surely going to give his parents a run for their money.

Yashiro chuckled and leaned into the young boy's ear, whispering, "You should give me some tips, Kuon. I can never get Aunt Kanae to show me such a sincere laugh as she does to you."

Kanae rolled her eyes, giving him a stern push of her hips, but smiling at him out of the corner of her eye.

"You're not just going to hang around the front door, are you?" Ren casually jumped in with a friendly smile as he walked towards them. "There's plenty of room in here."

Yashiro chuckled and smoothly shut the door behind them. "Wow, Ren. It's been so long since the last time I saw you."

"I agree. It's been what? Three hours?"

"Time does fly, doesn't it?" Yashiro joked with a grin.

Laughing, the two brotherly men clapped their hands upon each other's shoulder in familiarity and amusement. It was truly amazing how comfortable they were around one another. No one would ever believe they actually had a work-related relationship. It obviously looked so much more personal.

Ren then turned around and smiled brightly at Kanae who looked quite comfortable holding young Kuon in her arms. "And how are you, Kanae-san? I hear your movie has been doing great in the box office."

She smiled and gave a little nod of her head, replying, "I've been good. And yes, I'm thankful for how the film is doing. Kyoko told me you both went to see it, right?"

"We did. It's amazing. You play a very believable villain."

"You were an evil person, Aunt Kanae?" Kuon asked with wide eyes.

She nodded. "Why do you look so surprised?"

"Well, how could someone as pretty as you be evil?"

Ren chuckled and gave his son a little wink as he watched Kanae fidget.

"Goodness Kuon, you're really relentless, aren't you?" she murmured, pressing her face into his cheek to hide her obvious blush.

Yashiro laughed. "What did you do, Ren? School him in the arts of charm?"

"Of course not. Kuon got his honesty from his mom," Ren explained with a smile.

Kanae narrowed her eyes, replying, "So we've heard. And where is—?"

"Moko-san!"

All three turned to the kitchen and saw Kyoko walk out, her smile as bright as day. Kanae instantly approached her and shifted Kuon until he was safely hooked in one of her arms. Then standing before her friend, she glared and held up a hand before Kyoko could utter another word. "Stop right there."

She froze and lowered her outstretched arms, anxiety coloring her amber eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Turn around."

Puzzled, Kyoko did a slow little spin as she curiously watched Kanae appraise her up and down. Her friend then stepped forward and lifted Kyoko's chin, twisting her face to both sides. Kanae placed her hand over Kyoko's forehead and then finally over her large belly. She let out a puff of air. "Good, you're taking care of yourself," she commented with approval.

Kyoko laughed. "You needn't be so worried, Moko-san."

"Did you go to work today?" she demanded, ignoring her comment entirely.

Kyoko obediently shook her head. "Nope, I was home all day," she recited, straightening her back in the process.

Nodding, Kanae wrapped both of her hands around Kuon once more and replied, "That's better. Now Kuon, you're making sure your mom is getting plenty of rest right?"

"Absolutely, Aunt Kanae."

Kyoko walked forward and pressed her cheek against Kanae's. The fuss she made over her was more than proof that Kanae truly was her best friend. Sometimes, Kyoko wondered if she was actually more worried than Ren. Of course, she tended to scold Kyoko more than he did, but nevertheless, her intentions were clear.

"How do you feel, Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro asked with a kind smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You look really good."

Giggling and blushing, Kyoko warmly returned his sweet embrace and said, "A little sore every now and then, but I'm so pampered by these two, that I barely feel it. Sakura's getting a little more active too."

"Really? Yashiro asked excitedly. "Is she kicking?"

Kyoko nodded.

"That's great, Kyoko-chan!" he said as he gave her another squeeze.

"Is there any discomfort?" Kanae asked, her eyebrows naturally furrowing in concern.

She shook her head. "Not at all."

"Well Ren, sounds like your little girl is going to be quite the energetic one," Yashiro pointed out.

He chuckled and reached out for Kyoko's hand. "Very much like her mother," Ren stated with a tender smile at his wife.

Flushed with embarrassment, Kyoko vigorously shook her head and said in earnest, "Alright everyone, why don't you all go into the living room and I'll get the food ready."

"Sweetheart, you really shouldn't move around so much," Ren insisted as he stepped forward. "Go sit and I'll prepare everything."

She gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "I feel perfectly fine. Now, Moko-san and Yashiro-san, please hand me your coats and make yourselves at home."

But just as they were about to open their mouth in protest, Kyoko cut in and said, "And Kuon, why don't you show Aunt Kanae and Uncle Yashiro the monster truck they sent you? You finished painting it, right?"

Kuon nodded excitedly. "It's all done! And thank you for the gift."

Yashiro chuckled and affectionately patted his head. "Not at all, Kuon. We're glad you liked it."

"Good, now that that's settled, your coats please," Kyoko demanded, her proprietress tendencies taking over in an instant. She quickly shuffled her guests out of their jackets and motioned them into the living room. Ren laughed at their obvious reluctance.

"It's no use you two. What Kyoko says, goes."

Kanae scoffed, but nonetheless allowed Kuon to pull her onto the couch with Yashiro close behind. Once Kyoko saw everyone getting comfortable, she made her way down the hallway and opened up the communal closet.

She carefully draped both of the thick jackets over one arm as she reached for a hanger. Slipping Kanae's coat on first, she pushed aside the other garments in the closet and hooked the hanger onto the wooden pole. But just as she picked up Yashiro's jacket from off her bent arm, something small suddenly dropped from out of the pocket and onto the rug.

Curious, Kyoko carefully knelt down onto both of her knees and gingerly gripped the tiny item between her fingers.

Her eyes widen.

Quickly, she shot a glance at the living room and saw the two of them, sitting side by side and watching with content as Kuon proudly presented his massive car. Her heart instantly filled with warmth as she carefully placed the object back into its rightful place. Kyoko then closed the door with a quiet thud and made her way back into the living room.

She sat down besides Kanae and tenderly reached out to grasp her slender hand.

Kanae turned to her and raised an eyebrow at her friend's cheerful expression. "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing, just thinking about bright the future is going to be."

Letting out a deep exhale at her cheesiness, Kanae replied, "Well, you're going to have two adorable children soon. Of course your future is going to be bright."

Kyoko laughed and gave her a little nudge of the shoulder. "Not just mine," she disagreed.

"What?"

"Your future is bright too," she explained with ease.

Rolling her eyes at Kyoko's tendency to nick pick, Kanae nudged her back and said, "I guess so."

Kyoko smiled tenderly. "Exactly…"

"…_and it's only going to get brighter once you're engaged."_

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><p><em><em>**And there you have it! First off, I want to express my deepest thanks to all the readers. It means the world to me every time I see someone review, favorite, or follow any of my stories. Now more than ever, I feel a greater passion for writing and I certainly owe that to you all. I hope you enjoyed this sequel and continue to read my future works. Thank you all again! 3**


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